Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Nudging in Food Waste Management: Where Sustainability Meets Cost-Effectiveness

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Food Waste Management

Abstract

Food waste in the hospitality industry is a major problem, and solutions to change wasteful behaviours in professional kitchens are scarce. De Visser-Amundson and Kleijnen contribute to this knowledge gap by exploring how nudging can be used to stimulate employees to save more food without impacting the customer experience. In a field setting with a perspective of cost-effective service excellence (CESE), they specifically show that cost-saving behaviours realised by either a social norms nudge or a pre-commitment nudge are promising paths to explore as solutions to reduce food waste in professional kitchens and to achieve CESE. To that effect, the social norms and the pre-commitment nudge reduced daily food waste with 25.02% and with 33.50%, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abrahamse, W., & Steg, L. (2013). Social influence approaches to encourage resource conservation: A meta-analysis. Global Environmental Change, 23(6), 1773–1785.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ariza-Montes, A., Arjona-Fuentes, J. M., Han, H., & Law, R. (2018). The price of success: A study on chefs’ subjective well-being, job satisfaction, and human values. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 69, 84–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baca-Motes, K., Brown, A., Gneezy, A., Keenan, E. A., & Nelson, L. D. (2012). Commitment and behavior change: Evidence from the field. Journal of Consumer Research, 39(5), 1070–1084.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernstad, A. (2014). Household food waste separation behavior and the importance of convenience. Waste Management, 34(7), 1317–1323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boulden, J. (2017). Ikea is slashing its food waste thanks to Winnow startup. CNN Money. http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/08/smallbusiness/ikea-food-waste-winnow/index.html. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Bucher, T., Collins, C., Rollo, M. E., McCaffrey, T. A., Vlieger, N. D., Bend, D. V. D., et al. (2016). Nudging consumers towards healthier choices: A systematic review of positional influences on food choice. British Journal of Nutrition, 115(12), 2252–2263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, H. S., Huh, C., & Lee, M. J. (2016). Would an energy conservation nudge in hotels encourage hotel guests to conserve? Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 57(2), 172–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chiovera, J. (2012). Opinion: You’re only as good as your last meal. CSP Daily News. https://www.cspdailynews.com/category-news/foodservice/articles/opinion-you-re-only-good-your-last-meal. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Cialdini, R. B. (2007). Influence: The psychology of persuasion. New York, NY: Collins Business.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B., & Goldstein, N. J. (2004). Social influence: Compliance and conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55(1), 591–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cialdini, R. B., & Trost, M. R. (1998). Social influence: Social norms, conformity and compliance. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (Vols. 1–2, 4th ed., pp. 151–192). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cruwys, T., Bevelander, K. E., & Hermans, R. C. J. (2015). Social modeling of eating: A review of when and why social influence affects food intake and choice. Appetite, 86, 3–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolan, P., Hallsworth, M., Halpern, D., King, D., Metcalfe, R., & Vlaev, I. (2012). Influencing behaviour: The mindspace way. Journal of Economic Psychology, 33(1), 264–277.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dolan, P., Hallsworth, M., Halpern, D., King, D., & Vlaev, I. (2010). Mindspace: Influencing behaviour for public policy. LSE Research Online. http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/35792/. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Fabricant, F. (2017). Matt Orlando brings California sun to Copenhagen. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/dining/amass-restaurant-copenhagen-matt-orlando.html. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Filimonau, V., & Delysia, A. (2019). Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review. Tourism Management, 71, 234–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, C. B., & Birkinshaw, J. (2004). The antecedents, consequences, and mediating role of organizational ambidexterity. Academy of Management Journal, 47(2), 209–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, N. J., Cialdini, R. B., & Griskevicius, V. (2008). A room with a viewpoint: Using social norms to motivate environmental conservation in hotels. Journal of Consumer Research, 35(3), 472–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hebrok, M., & Boks, C. (2017). Household food waste: Drivers and potential intervention points for design—An extensive review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 151, 380–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heikkilä, L., Reinikainen, A., Katajajuuri, J.-M., Silvennoinen, K., & Hartikainen, H. (2016). Elements affecting food waste in the food service sector. Waste Management, 56, 446–453.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heracleous, L., & Wirtz, J. (2014). Singapore Airlines: Achieving sustainable advantage through mastering paradox. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 50(2), 150–170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hollins, O. (2013). Overview of waste in the UK hospitality and food service sector. WRAP. http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Overview%20of%20Waste%20in%20the%20UK%20Hospitality%20and%20Food%20Service%20Sector%20FINAL.pdf. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Jagau, H. L., & Vyrastekova, J. (2017). Behavioral approach to food waste: An experiment. British Food Journal, 119(4), 882–894.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow (Vol. 1). New York, NY: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kallbekken, S., & Sælen, H. (2013). ‘Nudging’ hotel guests to reduce food waste as a win–win environmental measure. Economics Letters, 119(3), 325–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lehner, M., Mont, O., & Heiskanen, E. (2016). Nudging: A promising tool for sustainable consumption behaviour? Journal of Cleaner Production, 134, 166–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year Odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, G. F., Gupta, S., Kropp, J. D., Grogan, K. A., & Mathews, A. (2016). The effects of pre-ordering and behavioral nudges on National School Lunch Program participants’ food item selection. Journal of Economic Psychology, 55, 4–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mittal, V., Anderson, E. W., Sayrak, A., & Tadikamalla, P. (2005). Dual emphasis and the long-term financial impact of customer satisfaction. Marketing Science, 24(4), 544–555.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morse, G. (2002). Management by fire: A conversation with chef Anthony Bourdain. Harvard Business Review, 80(7), 57–62.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mowery, L. (2017). Copenhagen chef Matt Orlando has big plans for tackling food waste. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lmowery/2017/12/17/copenhagen-chef-matt-orlando-has-big-plans-for-tackling-food-waste/. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Nisa, C., Varum, C., & Botelho, A. (2017). Promoting sustainable hotel guest behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 58(4), 354–363.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nobel, C., & Tobin, J. (2013). D’O: Making a Michelin-starred restaurant affordable. HBS Working Knowledge, 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parizeau, K., von Massow, M., & Martin, R. (2015). Household-level dynamics of food waste production and related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours in Guelph, Ontario. Waste Management, 35, 207–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, J. (2018). Amass chef explains how to hit the money spot with a zero-waste restaurant. Skift Table. https://table.skift.com/2018/04/25/amass-chef-explains-how-to-hit-the-money-spot-with-a-zero-waste-restaurant/. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Perroni, E. (2017). Anthony Bourdain is tackling food waste. https://foodtank.com/news/2017/10/anthony-bourdain-wasted/. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Pirani, S. I., & Arafat, H. A. (2016). Reduction of food waste generation in the hospitality industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 132, 129–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. New York, NY: Collier Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Raisch, S., & Birkinshaw, J. (2008). Organizational ambidexterity: Antecedents, outcomes, and moderators. Journal of Management, 34(3), 375–409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rust, R. T., & Huang, M. H. (2012). Optimizing service productivity. Journal of Marketing, 76(2), 47–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schubert, C. (2017). Green nudges: Do they work? Are they ethical? Ecological Economics, 132, 329–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sorgule, P. (2016). The power of teamwork in the kitchen. We Are Chefs. https://wearechefs.com/2016/05/20/the-power-of-teamwork-in-the-kitchen/. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Staats, L. (2018). Brandpunt+: Rolmodel tegen de voedselverspilling. Npostart.nl. https://www.npostart.nl/brandpunt/31-05-2018/KN_1699412. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Strotmann, C., Göbel, C., Friedrich, S., Kreyenschmidt, J., Ritter, G., & Teitscheid, P. (2017). A participatory approach to minimizing food waste in the food industry—A manual for managers. Sustainability, 9(1), 66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart, T., & Jarosz, D. (2017). Supermarkets should be cutting food waste, not relying on charities. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/feb/03/supermarkets-food-waste-charities-tesco-sainsburys-fairshare. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Sunstein, C. R. (2014). Nudging: A very short guide. Journal of Consumer Policy, 37(583), 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thiagarajah, K., & Getty, V. M. (2013). Impact on plate waste of switching from a tray to a trayless delivery system in a university dining hall and employee response to the switch. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 113(1), 141–145.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Prooijen, E. (2017). De strijd tegen 127 miljoen kilo weggegooid brood. EenVandaag. https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/item/de-strijd-tegen-127-miljoen-kilo-weggegooid-brood/. Accessed on 22.2.2019.

  • Vlaev, I., King, D., Dolan, P., & Darzi, A. (2016). The theory and practice of “nudging”: Changing health behaviors. Public Administration Review, 76(4), 550–561.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitehair, K. J., Shanklin, C. W., & Brannon, L. A. (2013). Written messages improve edible food waste behaviors in a university dining facility. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 113(1), 63–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, A. L., Buckley, E., Buckley, J. D., & Bogomolova, S. (2016). Nudging healthier food and beverage choices through salience and priming: Evidence from a systematic review. Food Quality and Preference, 51, 47–64.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wirtz, J., & Zeithaml, V. (2018). Cost-effective service excellence. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46(1), 59–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, W., Russell, S. V., Robinson, C. A., & Barkemeyer, R. (2017). Can social media be a tool for reducing consumers’ food waste? A behaviour change experiment by a UK retailer. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 117, 195–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hotelschool The Hague, Hospitality Business School, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Anna de Visser-Amundson

  2. School of Business & Economics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Mirella Kleijnen

Authors
  1. Anna de Visser-Amundson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mirella Kleijnen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anna de Visser-Amundson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

    Elina Närvänen

  2. Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

    Nina Mesiranta

  3. Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

    Malla Mattila

  4. Tampere University, Tampere, Finland

    Anna Heikkinen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

de Visser-Amundson, A., Kleijnen, M. (2020). Nudging in Food Waste Management: Where Sustainability Meets Cost-Effectiveness. In: Närvänen, E., Mesiranta, N., Mattila, M., Heikkinen, A. (eds) Food Waste Management. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20561-4_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation