Evidence-based messaging to decrease food waste at the consumer level

Food waste at the consumer level poses a global challenge for natural resources management and contributes to climate change. However, there is limited evidence regarding the best messaging strategies to fight household food waste. Here we experimentally test several food waste messages, aiming to identify the most effective strategies to promote individuals’ willingness to tackle food waste in the future (sampling 2500 U.S. residents). Study 1 tested three common prompts (“reduce waste”, “don’t waste” or “stop waste”) and showed that prompts to “reduce waste” are the most effective. Study 2 tested several consequences of food waste (economic, social or environmental), showing that messages about social and environmental consequences are the more impactful. Lastly, Study 3 tested whether combining different stimuli (prompts, consequences, tips for action) would produce stronger effects, but revealed mixed results, suggesting that more information is not necessarily better to help fight food waste. Implications for policy-making and intervention are discussed.