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The present study aims to examine the impact of social media marketing activities (SMMAs) on the adoption of food waste reduction behavior among Generation Z consumers within the restaurant service industry in Pakistan. The study focuses on the impact of social media advertisements and investigates the mediating influence of waste reduction intentions on actual behavior. This underscores the significance of contextual and emotional variables in comprehending consumer behaviors.

The study used a cross-sectional research methodology to examine the impact of SMMAs on the behavior of Generation Z consumers in Pakistan’s food service industry with regard to reducing food waste. A study was conducted to investigate the restaurant purchasing behaviors of a sample consisting of 449 individuals belonging to the millennial generation, often known as Generation Z.

The majority of variables related to SMMA, except for interactivity and personalization, were shown to have a positive impact on individuals’ intents to reduce food waste. The study observed a significant relationship between consumers’ intentions to decrease waste and their actual behavior in waste reduction. Furthermore, this relationship was shown to be influenced by the mediating role of waste reduction intention.

Examining how social media affects Pakistani Generation Z’s efforts to reduce food waste is what makes this study distinctive. According to the research, the majority of social media factors positively influence intentions to reduce waste. The relationship between intentions and actual behavior, which highlights the impact of social media campaigns and emotional aspects in promoting waste reduction, is one of the important conclusions.

This study aims to determine and analyze the predictors of food waste reduction intention and behavior among higher education institutions (HEIs) using an extended version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB).

This study empirically tested an extended TPB model through regression analyses using data obtained through an online survey.

Attitude toward food waste reduction, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control and food waste knowledge predicted intention to reduce food waste. Furthermore, the intention to reduce food waste predicted food waste reduction behavior.

The results imply that extending the TPB by adding food waste knowledge significantly predicted food waste reduction intention and behavior.

The study identified factors that predict food waste reduction behavior and suggested ways to influence Filipino students in HEIs to reduce food waste.

The findings support the inclusion of food waste knowledge to the TPB in predicting food waste reduction intention and behavior among students in HEIs.

This study aims to investigate the determinants of household behavioural intention towards household reducing, reusing and recycling behaviour of food waste management.

The data were collected from 670 households in Malaysia and analysed by using the partial least square method.

The findings reveal that motivation to participate, ability to participate and perceived benefits are the crucial factors that significantly influence households’ attitudes. Household attitude has a significant impact on household behavioural intention, whilst social influence and perceived behavioural control are not associated with it. Government support is positively related to perceived behavioural control. The result also indicates that household behavioural intention has a significant impact on household reducing, reusing and recycling behaviour.

The participants of this study were involved in home planning and food preparation in Malaysia. The individuals in charge of the household might have more awareness of food planning and waste control. Thus, it is recommended to adopt findings from other countries and learn from the experience of the local and international communities.

The households’ behavioural intentions can lead to the reducing, reusing and recycling behaviour of food waste management. The government policy mechanisms and households’ awareness can work effectively against food waste reduction because evaluations of the food waste programme were found to be scarce.

Food insecurity is one of the major social problems. Many people are not aware of the food waste impacts and consequences; thus, motivation, knowledge and information should be provided to the consumer through forums and campaigns.

The findings contribute to new insights of household behavioural intention towards food waste reduction management by assessing the determinants of household attitude and government support for food waste reduction management programmes towards household reducing, reusing and recycling behaviours.

This study aims to provide insights into the drivers of student engagement in food waste reduction strategies in educational institutions. The proposed research model integrates social media celebrities' attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness with the value belief norm (VBN) theory to explore their influence on students' behaviour towards food waste reduction.

The data were collected from 417 students enrolled in public and private universities in the Riyadh and Macca regions of Saudi Arabia to evaluate the proposed model. The partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyse the responses.

The results showed that VBN theory's components, such as values (biospheric, altruistic and egoistic), beliefs (new ecological paradigm, awareness of consequences and aspirations of responsibility) and norms significantly and positively influence food waste reduction behavioural intentions. It was also discovered from the results that social media celebrities' attractiveness, expertise and trustworthiness influence food waste reduction behavioural intentions.

This study contributes significantly to the literature by identifying factors influencing student engagement in food waste reduction strategies in educational institutions where limited research exists. It fills this research gap by developing a novel theoretical framework integrating social media celebrities' attributes with the VBN theory to explain these factors.

This study aims to evaluate the issue of household food waste in Greece, with an emphasis on assessing the level of awareness and key behaviours among consumers. Moreover, the study focuses on examining consumer behaviours related to food waste and identifying distinct consumer profiles that can provide valuable insights into the issue in order to uncover unique behavioural factors and offer targeted interventions to curb food waste in the country.

A nationwide survey was conducted in Greece using a structured online questionnaire, which was sent to 1,270 participants, through the snowball technique. However, due to some incomplete responses, only 1,238 of the responses were considered suitable for analysis. Common descriptive statistics were used to sketch the respondents' profiles, and a non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis was performed to identify distinct subgroups in the sample.

The study revealed a significant level of food waste awareness among Greek consumers. The cluster analysis identified four distinct consumer groups and substantial differences among them. Notably, sociodemographic analysis underscored a pronounced inclination towards food wastage among younger individuals. Additionally, each cluster's attributes, including their environmental awareness, shopping behaviours meal-planning tendencies and propensity for excess purchases, were examined. Consequently, this study underscored the imperative for targeted informational campaigns tailored for consumer segmentation, offering a pathway to identify prospective interventions conducive to the promotion of sustainable food-consumption practices.

The originality and value of this work lie in its unique focus on addressing the significant issue of household food waste within the context of Greece. What sets this study apart is the application of non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis (which allowed the authors to identify distinct consumer profiles), a method not widely utilised in the Greek context. By filling this knowledge gap, this study offers crucial insights that can inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing food waste, in alignment with global sustainability initiatives such as the United Nations Agenda 2030 and the European Union's “Farm to Fork” strategy. Additionally, this study contributes to the efforts to provide innovative solutions to prevent household food waste and foster a sustainable future in an ever-changing international environment marked by various crises

The study aimed to investigate the relationship between the intention to avoid food waste (IAFW) and the use of food-sharing technologies, such as internet platforms and mobile applications. The study utilized a model based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as an extension of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2).

An online platform tool (Prolific), and online self-report questionnaires were used to gather empirical data on 309 individuals. These data were then analyzed using two-step structural equation modeling.

The model explained 76% of the variance in user adoption of food-sharing mobile applications and internet platforms, supporting seven out of the nine tested hypotheses. Effort expectancy, social influence and IAFW were found to be the significant determinants of the behavioural intention to use food-sharing mobile applications and internet platforms (BITA). IAFW partially mediated the relationship between perceived behavior control and BITA. Age played a moderator role between the adoption of food-sharing mobile applications and internet platforms. However, IAFW did not play a mediating role between environmental concerns and BITA. The facilitating condition construct had an insignificant impact on BITA.

The current study was affected by some limitations. First, the data may not be considered as statistically representative because they were gathered online. However, the varied sociodemographic backgrounds of the respondents would boost the reliability of the findings. However, it would be prudent to use caution when extrapolating these findings to other contexts and cultures. Second, environmental concerns and perceived behavior control related to the avoidance of food waste behavior, as well as other factors that affect technology acceptance, may alter with time. Data from cross-sections may cause difficulties in following such changes. Thus, we recommend that longitudinal research studies aimed at building on our findings should be conducted. A qualitative study may help gain deeper insights into the relationship between IAFW related behavior and the adoption of various technologies to share leftover food, thereby revealing further details regarding different perspectives held by various respondents.

The positive relationship between environmental concerns and IAFW underlines the significance of investing in this area to raise social awareness and public concern for environmental safety. Additional initiatives aimed at increasing public concern regarding environmental issues may increase the overall IAFW. Instead of concentrating on a single source pertaining to the avoidance of food waste, the government and policy regulations should focus on regulating and eliminating waste from all sources that generate waste. The adoption of technology to share leftover meals may be influenced by social factors. Increased advertising for food-sharing mobile apps and online platforms may persuade more users to join. Additionally, building additional platforms and mobile apps in these fields with friendlier interactions may improve the cyber environment, making it easier for people to use them. By providing information, tools and assistance to promote the reduction of food wastage, policymakers may create interventions that enhance public perception and behavior toward the reduction of food waste. In conclusion, the findings of our study indicated that the social impact and ease of use are important factors in determining the adoption of food-sharing technology. Cooperation with social influencers, policymakers and developers may lead to the development of user-friendly technology that may improve accessibility to food-sharing technology.

In order to encourage the adoption of food-sharing technology among various age groups, policymakers may create initiatives that take the specific requirements and traits of each group into consideration. Policymakers and governments may also create legislation and regulations that are tailored to guarantee food safety and health security for users of food-sharing technology, such as instructions for handling and storing food as well as safeguards against food fraud and contamination.

This study addressed practical issues related to managing and reducing household food wastage through social sharing via mobile applications and internet platforms. The proposed model, which integrated TPB with UTAUT2 in the context of food wastage and technology acceptance, contributes to the current body of knowledge.

Higher education institutions (HEIs) play a pivotal role in fostering economic development by cultivating skilled workforce and generating knowledge and innovation. However, HEIs may pose a potential risk to sustainable economic development due to the generation of food waste inside their campus canteens. Therefore, this study aims to examine the influence of attitude, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavior control (PBC), religiosity and pro-social behavior among State Islamic Religious College (SIRC) students on their intention to avoid food waste behavior. This study also focused on the mediating role of the three original theory of planned behavior (TPB) variables and pro-social behavior in the relationship between religiosity and the intention to reduce food waste.

Questionnaires were used to collect data from 443 students at SIRC. The collected data were processed and analyzed using structural equation modelling to test direct, indirect and mediating effects.

The empirical results indicated that the eagerness of students at SIRC to reduce their behavior of leaving food behind can be driven by their negative attitudes or views toward food waste, the practice of religious teachings in their lives, the belief that they can avoid food waste and their concern for the environment. The empirical results reveal that even though religiosity influences SN, it is unable to strengthen the relationship between religiosity and the desire to be anti-food waste.

In addition to contributing to the food waste literature in the context of eating behavior, the results of this study have theoretical and practical implications.

To assess SIRC students’ behavioral intentions to avoid food waste behavior, this study used a contemporary setting to measure attitude, SN, PBC, religiosity and pro-social behavior, so strengthening the TPB’s empirical underpinning.

Considering food waste as a global problem resulting from the wastage of valuable resources that could fulfil the requirements of malnourished people, the current research focusses on understanding consumerism’s impact on this phenomenon. Additionally, the circular economy (CE) approach can be critical in reducing food waste and promoting sustainability.

A systematic literature review was conducted using bibliometrics and network analysis. The study reviewed 326 articles within 10 years, from 2013 to 2023.

The findings reveal four prominent factors – behavioural, environmental, socioeconomic and technological – in managing food waste (FW). Reducing FW at a holistic level can benefit individuals and the environment in several ways.

Consumers are encouraged to be more responsible for their food consumption by reducing food waste, as it affects societies and businesses both economically and environmentally. This can help promote a responsible consumption culture that values quality over quantity and encourages people to make more informed choices about what they eat and how they dispose of it post-consumption. All stakeholders, including firms, the government and consumers, must examine the motives behind inculcating pro-environmental behaviour.

Addressing consumerism and the ability to decrease FW behaviour are complex issues that require a multidimensional approach. This study seeks to fill the gap in understanding consumerism and the capacity to reduce FW using the CE approach and understand the research gaps and future research trends.

The pressing issues of climate change and environmental degradation call for a reevaluation of how we approach economic activities. Both leaders and corporations are now shifting their focus, toward adopting practices and embracing the concept of circular economy (CE). Within this context, the Food and Beverage (F&B) sector, which significantly contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, holds the potential for undergoing transformations. This study aims to explore the role that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can play in facilitating the adoption of CE principles, within the F&B sector.

This research employs the Best Worst Method, a technique in multi-criteria decision-making. It focuses on identifying and ranking the challenges in implementing AI-driven CE in the F&B sector, with expert insights enhancing the ranking’s credibility and precision.

The study reveals and prioritizes barriers to AI-supported CE in the F&B sector and offers actionable insights. It also outlines strategies to overcome these barriers, providing a targeted roadmap for businesses seeking sustainable practices.

This research is socially significant as it supports the F&B industry’s shift to sustainable practices. It identifies key barriers and solutions, contributing to global climate change mitigation and sustainable development.

The research addresses a gap in literature at the intersection of AI and CE in the F&B sector. It introduces a system to rank challenges and strategies, offering distinct insights for academia and industry stakeholders.

Humanity and all life depend on the natural environment of Planet Earth, and that environment is in acute crisis across land, sea and air. One of a set of commentaries on how service can address the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs), the authors focus on environmental goals SDG 13 (climate action), SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land). This paper aims to propose a conceptual framework that incorporates the natural environment into transformative services.

The authors trace the evolution of service thinking about the natural environment, from a stewardship perspective of the environment as a set of resources to be managed, through an acknowledgement of nonhuman organisms as actors that can participate in service exchange, towards an emergent concept of ecosystems as integrating human social actors and other biological actors who engage fully in value co-creation.

The authors derive a framework integrating human and other life forms as co-creating actors, drawing on shared natural resources to achieve mutualism, where each actor can have a net benefit from the relationship. Future research questions are posited that may help services research address SDGs 13–15.

The framework integrates ideas from environmental ecosystem literature to inform the nature of ecosystems. By integrating environmental actors and ecological insights into the understanding of service ecosystems, service scholars are well placed to make unique contributions to the global challenge of creating a sustainable future.