Does price reduction on suboptimal food increase food waste at home? Analysis of the subsequent perceived value
(A2022-106928)

AUTHORS

Louise Dumont, UCLouvain; Karine Charry, UClouvain; Valérie Swaen, UCLouvain

ABSTRACT

Offering a price reduction for close-to-expiration-date products (CED) is a common practice for retailers to reduce their waste. Yet, the consequences of the practice on consumers’ food waste at home are unclear. This study investigates the relationship between a reduced price for CED products, their perceived value (i.e. hedonic, social, altruistic, economic, price and performance risk) and the impact on food waste at home. Challenging previous results on price-waste relationships, our experiment shows that the price reduction increases men’s perceived social value of the CED product, while it does not impact women’s perceptions of value. Additionally, perceptions of higher social and economic values decrease food waste, while a perception of higher performance risk increases it. With this research, we contribute to food waste literature and practice showing the process that explains why a price reduction on CED products is a relevant strategy to reduce global food waste.