FOOD LOSS AND WASTE (FL&W) REDUCTION AT THE CONSUMER-GROCERY RETAILER INTERFACE

The overall goal of thisresearch is to inform more efficient food loss and waste (FL&W) reduction programs at the consumer grocery retailer interface. The proposed research informs FL&W reduction programs by providing measures of: a) the FL&W behaviors by consumers in the home and the effect of household attributes, shopping behavior and attitudes toward the FL&W issue and programs on these behaviors; b) consumer preferences for FL&W reducing programs through changes in shopping patterns, product choice, and willingness to pay (WTP); c) retailer awareness and perceptions of FL&W, current efforts to reduce FL&W, perceived benefits and barriers from a FL&W reduction program; d) the effects of information about consumer FL&W reduction preferences on retailer willingness to a adopt (WTA) FL&W reduction program and practices; and (e) the changing FL&W behaviors of consumers and retailers under the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This research will address the topics under the Economics, Markets and Trade areas of consumer preferences or behavior, decision making under uncertainty,and policy design and impact.