Short Biography: : Dr. Behnaz Saboori is an Associate Professor of Natural Resource and Environmental Economics at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, with more than 10 years of experience in higher education, research, and academic activities at national and international levels. Her research interests include environmental and energy economics, climate change, sustainable development, economic diversification, circular economy, resource efficiency, and food waste management. She has been involved in several national and international research projects and collaborations addressing environmental sustainability, food security, and sustainable resource management. Dr. Saboori has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals and serves on the editorial boards of academic journals and as a reviewer for a number of international journals. Her work combines economic, environmental, and behavioral perspectives to support evidence-based policies for sustainable and resilient economies.
Title of the talk: Beyond Awareness: Understanding the Drivers of Household Food Waste
Abstract: Food waste has emerged as a major challenge at the intersection of food security, environmental sustainability, and economic efficiency. While considerable attention has been given to raising consumer awareness and promoting positive attitudes toward food waste reduction, a persistent question remains: why do good intentions so often fail to translate into actual changes in household behavior?
This study draws on a systematic review of 233 studies published between 2000 and 2025 to examine the determinants of household food waste across the intention-to-action continuum. The evidence demonstrates that food waste is not simply the outcome of individual attitudes or a lack of environmental awareness. Rather, it is produced through the interaction of immediate food-related practices, intermediate psychological and behavioral factors, and broader socioeconomic, cultural, institutional, and infrastructural conditions.
The review identifies dietary habits, purchasing patterns, meal planning, food storage, preparation skills, and leftover management as particularly important drivers of household food waste. At the same time, factors such as income, household structure, cultural norms, hospitality practices, food safety concerns, packaging, date labeling, and policy environments shape the conditions under which these behaviors occur. Importantly, the findings reveal that the widely used Theory of Planned Behavior provides only a partial explanation of food waste behavior. Households may possess strong intentions to reduce waste, yet these intentions can be disrupted by habits, social expectations, retail practices, time constraints, and inadequate infrastructure.
The study argues that closing the intention–behavior gap requires a shift from awareness-centered interventions toward integrated and context-sensitive approaches. Effective strategies should combine behavioral interventions with practical skills, supportive food environments, appropriate packaging and labeling, improved infrastructure, and policies that make sustainable choices easier in everyday life. This perspective also highlights the importance of understanding food waste within its cultural and socioeconomic context rather than treating households as homogeneous consumers.
The lecture concludes by discussing how behavioral insights can be translated into more effective food-waste policies and interventions, with particular relevance to achieving SDG 12.3, strengthening food-system sustainability, and reducing the environmental and economic costs of wasted food.
