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Collective intelligence for fighting food waste: changing the way things are done with participatory design

Linda Brennan (School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia)
David Micallef (School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia)
Eva L. Jenkins (Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia and End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia)
Lukas Parker (School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia)
Natalia Alessi (School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia and End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, Urrbrae, South Australia, Australia)

Journal of Social Marketing

ISSN: 2042-6763

Article publication date: 25 April 2024

Issue publication date: 7 May 2024

223

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the use of a double diamond design method to engage the industry in a sector-wide response to the issues of food waste as constructed by consumers. This particular design method is achieved by an exploration of a collective intelligence-participatory design (CIPD) project to engage industry participants in understanding and responding to consumers’ perceptions of the role of packaging in reducing food waste.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the UK Design Council’s double diamond design method as a guiding conceptual principle, the project recruited industry participants from medium to large food businesses across various food categories. Two scoping workshops with industry were held prior to the initiation of a 12-stage project (n = 57), and then two industry workshops were held (n = 4 and 14). Eighty participants completed an online qualitative survey, and 23 industry participants took part in a Think Tank Sprint Series. The Think Tanks used participatory design approaches to understand barriers and opportunities for change within food industry sub-sectors and test the feasibility and acceptability of package designs to reduce consumer waste.

Findings

For CIPD to work for complex problems involving industry, it is vital that stakeholders across macro- and micro-subsystems are involved and that adequate time is allowed to address that complexity. Using both the right tools for engagement and the involvement of the right mix of representatives across various sectors of industry is critical to reducing blame shift. The process of divergence and convergence allowed clear insight into the long-term multi-pronged approach needed for the complex problem.

Originality/value

Participatory design has been useful within various behaviour change settings. This paper has demonstrated the application of the double diamond model in a social marketing setting, adding value to an industry-wide project that included government, peak bodies, manufacturing and production and retailers.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This work has been supported by the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, whose activities are funded by the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centre Program.

Erratum: It has come to the attention of the publisher that the article, Brennan, L., Micallef, D., Jenkins, E.L., Parker, L. and Alessi, N. (2024), “Collective intelligence for fighting food waste: changing the way things are done with participatory design”, Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-05-2023-0126, was published with the incorrect author affiliation details. This error was introduced in the production process and has now been corrected in the online version. The publisher sincerely apologises for this error and for any inconvenience caused.

Citation

Brennan, L., Micallef, D., Jenkins, E.L., Parker, L. and Alessi, N. (2024), "Collective intelligence for fighting food waste: changing the way things are done with participatory design", Journal of Social Marketing, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 163-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSOCM-05-2023-0126

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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