The green illusion: why eco-conscious people still waste food?

Want to fight food waste? General eco-friendliness is just the starting point, and it’s not enough

Featured faculty: Elisa Chan
Written by Pan Jingyi

You might think that being eco-friendly, such as choosing sustainable products, conserving energy and water, and using public transport instead of driving, means you’re doing your part for the planet. But if you’re still tossing out wilted lettuce or forgotten leftovers, you’re missing a crucial piece of the sustainability puzzle.

Food production, transport, and disposal emit carbon dioxide, and when wasted food ends up in landfills, it releases an even more potent greenhouse gas: methane. According to the UN’s 2024 report, food waste accounts for 8 to 10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions, nearly five times the total emissions generated by the aviation sector each year.

“Enhancing individuals’ awareness of the risks and consequences associated with food waste should be a primary goal in addressing the food waste challenge.”

Professor Elisa Chan

Nevertheless, food waste often slips under the radar. The UN Sustainable Development Goal has aimed for a 50 per cent reduction in food waste at the retail and consumer levels by 2030, but an estimated one-third of the food produced globally for human consumption is still either wasted or lost in the supply chains.

A new study by Elisa Chan, Assistant Professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School, reveals that even environmentally conscious people often overlook the serious consequences of food waste. People’s eco-friendly habits often stop at the kitchen door, and the solution isn’t just simply more education.

Being environmentally friendly only leads to real action against food waste if individuals also understand the actual harm it causes. In other words, general awareness is not enough to bridge the gap between pro-environmental beliefs and practical behaviours. “Enhancing individuals’ awareness of the risks and consequences associated with food waste should be a primary goal in addressing the food waste challenge,” says Professor Chan.

The culinary, restaurant, and broader food industry should tailor their sustainability campaigns to emphasise the serious consequences of food waste, thereby strengthening consumers’ negative attitudes towards wasting food. This will urge consumers to take more environmentally conscious actions, such as careful food planning, proper food storage, and mindful food consumption.

Why doesn’t a green mindset translate to action?

In collaboration with Carlos Martin-Rios of the EHL Hospitality Business School (Switzerland) and his PhD student Julneth Rogenhofer, as well as Maria-Eugenia Ruiz-Molina of the University of Valencia (Spain), Professor Chan explores Young professionals’ attitudes towards food waste: A global study on awareness, behaviour, and regional differences.

The team conducted an online survey of more than 600 young professionals across Asia, Europe, and North America, particularly those transitioning from academic studies into professional careers. “These young professionals are the future decision-makers and are encouraged to take on more social responsibilities,” says Professor Chan.

Participants were asked how strongly they try to avoid wasting food, how often they engage in various environmental actions, and how well they understand the negative impacts of food waste.

The researchers presumed young people’s general pro-environmental behaviours would be positively associated with negative attitudes towards food waste. However, the analyses show that there is no significant correlation between environmentally friendly actions and anti-food waste attitudes.

Professor Chan points to a psychological phenomenon called “intention-behaviour gap,” where people have good intentions but fail to follow through. “This is why most pro-environmental campaigns fall short,” she says.

The analysis of the data also indicates that the gap lies in the lack of awareness about the consequences. When people realise that throwing away food means wasting resources and harming the environment, they are much less likely to do it. “The risks and consequences awareness acts as a critical connector and turns a general concern for the planet into a tangible action about the food on our plate,” Professor Chan adds.

Why culture matters

The study also reveals cultural influences when it comes to food waste. Young professionals from European countries have stronger negative attitudes towards leftovers compared to their counterparts in Asia and the US.

Professor Chan notes that deep-rooted cultural values play a role and may still be ingrained in young professionals. For example, in Chinese culture, showing hospitality often means offering voluminous and variety of food at social events, shifting the focus away from overconsumption and leftovers concerns.

This doesn’t mean one culture cares about food waste more than another. Rather, it highlights that anti-waste campaigns need to be culturally tailored. As Professor Chan notes, “Food waste reduction messages and educational initiatives that neglect these culturally embedded values may be less effective.” She also points to traditional practices, like Shanghai’s “xiao die” or small plates, as ways to provide variety without excess in meal planning for both restaurateurs and individual households.

The education paradox

Education is often assumed to be a powerful tool to fill the gap. Therefore, the researchers specifically examined whether students in hospitality or food management programmes had stronger anti-food waste attitudes.

Surprisingly, the results show that students enrolled in such programmes do not exhibit stronger negative attitudes towards food waste. This finding may suggest that academic institutions have not effectively incorporated sustainable and ethical approaches to food waste management into their curricula.

“The current food waste discussion at school may be mostly focused on the supply chain aspect. For example, hotels and restaurants invest in technology to track kitchen waste, but such tools are not available at the consumer level,” Professor Chan says. “Supply side aspect is essential in food waste management and reduction from industrial perspective, but it seems we didn’t put enough focus on consumers’ individual consumption.”

Practical strategies for a greener future

Making food waste more visible can be a strategy to increase awareness. When leftovers and scraps are hidden away, it’s easy for people to ignore the problem. Professor Chan suggests restaurants or canteens could install transparent trash bags and bins, or use waste trackers, to make people aware of how much they’re throwing away.

From the consumer perspective, Professor Chan notes, “Another useful strategy is to leverage rather than change people’s habits in encouraging pro-environmental behaviours.” For instance, as consumers are habitually concerned about pricing, restaurants can charge meals based on the weight of the amount of food taken to discourage food waste. A buffet restaurant in Switzerland called Tibits is known for this pricing scheme.

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Restaurants can also lead by example. Showing the details about their source of ingredients will highlight transparent waste-reducing practices throughout their supply chain. “Seeing how a restaurant expends effort in ensuring pro-environmental and pro-social operations would legitimise the notion of sustainable dining, which would motivate the guests to minimise food waste,” says Professor Chan.

Additionally, Professor Chan notes that creating interactive dining experiences that emphasise aroma, taste, and visual presentation can shift the focus from quantity to quality, making meals memorable for the experience. In doing so, restaurants not only help lower the environmental impact but also meet the growing consumer demand for sustainability.