Do Living Arrangements and Eating Habits Influence University Students’ Food Waste Perception in Italy and Poland?

Małgorzata Miśniakiewicz, Vera Amicarelli, Grzegorz Chrobak, Agnieszka Górka-Chowaniec and Christian Bux
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Małgorzata Miśniakiewicz: Department of Food Product Quality, Krakow University of Economics, 30033 Krakow, Poland
Vera Amicarelli: Department of Economics, Management and Business Law, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
Grzegorz Chrobak: Institute of Spatial Management, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, 50375 Wroclaw, Poland
Agnieszka Górka-Chowaniec: Department of Physical Culture and Tourism Management, Jerzy Kukuczka Academy of Physical Education in Katowice, 40065 Katowice, Poland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: Consumers’ perception plays a central role in tackling food waste at the final consumption stage, specifically among university students. In Europe, it is estimated that 47 to 67 Mt of food waste is generated at the household level or at food service consumption, including university canteens. The present cross-country research, through an online-based questionnaire among university students, investigates students’ perception on food waste by distinguishing among two different categories: on the one side, students living with their family; on the other side, students living without their family. Further, the research distinguishes among students eating at university canteens, students preparing food at home, students purchasing take-away foods and students coming back home to eat. The study compares university students’ perception on food waste in Italy and in Poland, with the overarching purpose of shaping sustainable pathways and defining educational interventions to enhance students’ perception and awareness on food waste. Data are analyzed according to the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Age is a pivotal factor and suggests a generational gap in awareness and attitude toward food waste, whereas sex significantly affects food waste perception in Poland but not in Italy, suggesting a more homogeneous perception across sexes. The research highlights the impacts that socio-economic and environmental crises (e.g., climate change, the Russia–Ukraine conflict, high inflation rates) have on food waste perception in Poland, which is closer to that of Russia and Ukraine compared to that of Italy, and provides academics, practitioners and public authorities with practical and theoretical insights toward food waste minimization.

Keywords: canteens; consumer perception; consumption habits; food waste; living arrangements; university students (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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