This research paper examines the primary causes of food waste in America, with particular focus on consumer over-purchasing behavior at the household level. The analysis reveals that one-quarter to one-third of all food produced in the United States is wasted, driven largely by retail environments that encourage bulk purchasing and marketing strategies that promote excessive buying. The study distinguishes between food waste and food losses, identifying systemic factors in American retail culture that contribute to this significant public health and environmental challenge.
Today, massive amounts of food are wasted every day in the United States due to a combination of factors, but most especially over-purchasing at the consumer level. In fact, the research to date indicates that as much as one-quarter (Stancu et al., 2016) to one-third of all of the food produced in the U.S. is either wasted or lost at some point in the supply chain (Principato et al., 2021). The expectation for this problem, in large part, is that food waste remains prevalent in America due to over-purchasing at the consumer level (Schanes et al., 2018).
It is important to note that food waste differs from food losses, with the former being causes by over-purchasing at the consumer level and the latter being caused by disruptions in the supply chain (Stancu et al., 2016). Studies have consistently shown that American households regularly buy more food than they can reasonably consume. This over-purchasing behavior appears to be influenced by several systemic factors in the retail environment and food packaging industry (Stancu et al., 2016).
The structure of American food retail actively encourages excessive purchasing through various cultural, political and economic factors that prey on consumer weaknesses (Schanes et al., 2018). Additional observations that support this view include the prevalence of warehouse club stores that promote bulk purchases, the psychological impact of perceived savings from buying in larger quantities (Purwanto et al., 2023), and marketing strategies that emphasize stocking up rather than buying based on immediate needs (Teller et al., 2018). These factors combine to create a retail environment that normalizes and encourages over-purchasing, contributing significantly to America’s food waste challenge.
Principato, L. et al. (2021). The household wasteful behavior framework: A systematic review of consumer food waste. Industrial Marketing Management, 93, 641-649.
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