Confucian Culture as Determinants of Consumers' Food Leftover Generation: Evidence from Chengdu, China

Abstract

Food waste is a worldwide problem due to its effects on carbon emission, water pollution, and arable lands. Previous studies of food waste generation and reduction focus on demographic, psychological, and situational factors, whereas the effects of culture in different countries have been ignored. This paper investigates the influence of Confucian culture on behaviors that waste food, considering additional factors of face saving and group conformity. We used an integrated behavioral intention model combining the TPB model and Lee's modified Fishbein model. The results show that including the constructors of Confucian culture increases the predictive power of the model. Face saving and group conformity are found to significantly influence attitude toward food waste reduction. Face saving can greatly reduce the intention to pack leftovers, and group conformity has a significant effect on the ordering of small portion sizes. Based on these results, we give a discussion and put forward with suggestions to the government and the catering industry. Limitations and implications for future research are provided accordingly.