Do food deliveries lead to more plastic waste? A study on consumers’ intention to reuse food delivery containers
List of Authors
  • Mohamad Faizal Ramli , Muhammad Majid

Keyword
  • Attitude, Perceived Control Behaviour, Subjective Norms, Moral Obligations, Intention to Reuse Food Delivery Containers, Food Delivery Service

Abstract
  • This study aims to examine the determinants of consumers’ intention to reuse food delivery containers (ITR). The hypotheses will be tested on 200 food delivery service users in Malaysia and will be analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Understanding consumers’ ITR could promote practical environmental sustainability. Practically, the study will provide insights to the food delivery service industry, policymakers, and relevant stakeholders to encourage consumer behaviour change by reusing food delivery containers in line with Sustainable Development Goal 12. This study aims to investigate the following variables that influence the intention to reuse food delivery containers namely government support, moral obligations, subjective norms, perceived control behaviour, attitude, and government support. The study enhances the existing literature by extending the government support - independent variable. In addition, this study could benefit food and beverage merchants, food delivery companies, and government agencies.

Reference
  • 1. Ajzen, I. (2020), “The theory of planned behavior: frequently asked questions”, Human Behavior and Emerging Technology, Vol. 2, pp. 314-324.

    2. Ajzen, I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational behavior and human decision processes, 50(2), 179-211

    3. Al Mamun, A., Mohiuddin, M., Ahmad, G.B., Thurasamy, R. and Fazal, S.A. (2018), “Recycling intention and behavior among low-income households”, Sustainability, Vol. 10 No. 7, p. 2407.

    4. Alzubaidi, H., Slade, E.L. and Dwivedi, Y.K. (2021), “Examining antecedents of consumers’ pro-environmental behaviours: TPB extended with materialism and innovativeness”, Journal of Business Research, Vol. 122, pp. 685-699.

    5. Annunziata, A., Agovino, M., Ferraro, A. and Mariani, A. (2020), “Household food waste: a case study in Southern Italy”, Sustainability, Vol. 12 No. 4, pp. 1-15.

    6. Botetzagias, I., Dima, A.-F., & Malesios, C. (2015). Extending the theory of planned behavior in the context of recycling: the role of moral norms and of demographic predictors. Resources, Conservation and Recycling,95, 58–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2014.12.004.

    7. Chengqin, E. K., Zailani, S., Rahman, M. K., Aziz, A. A., Bhuiyan, M. A., & Gazi, M. A. I. (2022). Determinants of household behavioural intention towards reducing, reusing and recycling food waste management. Nankai Business Review International

    8. Ertz, M., Huang, R., Jo, M. S., Karakas, F., & Sarigöllü, E. (2017). From single-use to multi-use: Study of consumers' behavior toward consumption of reusable containers. Journal of environmental management, 193, 334-344.

    9. Harinderan, K. (2024, April 9) Paving the Way to a Zero Food Waste Malaysia. Business Today: https://www.businesstoday.com.my/2024/04/09/paving-the-way-to-a-zero-food-waste-malaysia/

    10. Liao, C., Zhao, D. and Zhang, S. (2018), “Psychological and conditional factors influencing staff’s takeaway waste separation intention: an application of the extended theory of planned behaviour”, Sustainable Cities and Society, Vol. 41, pp. 186-194.

    11. Muhammad, N.H. (2021, December 8), Online Food Delivery Services and Food Packaging Plastic Waste. Bernama https://www.bernama.com/en/thoughts/news.php?id=2029517#:~:text=Unfortunately%2C%20however%2C%20the%20accumulation%20of,piling%20up%20in%20the%20environment.

    12. Ng, P.Y., Ho, P.L. and Sia, J.K.M. (2020), “Integrative model of behavioural intention: the influence of environmental concern and condition factors on food waste separation”, Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 631-645.

    13. Pandey, S., Ritz, C., & Perez-Cueto, F. J. A. (2021). An application of the theory of planned behaviour to predict intention to consume plant-based yogurt alternatives. Foods, 10(1), 148.

    14. Perri, C., Giglio, C. and Corvello, V. (2020), “Smart users for smart technologies: investigating the intention to adopt smart energy consumption behaviors”, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Vol. 155, 119991.

    15. Povey, R., Wellens, B. and Conner, M. (2001), “Attitudes towards following meat, vegetarian and vegan diets: an examination of the role of ambivalence”, Appetite, Vol. 7 No. 1, pp. 15-26.

    16. Sarbassov, Y., Sagalova, T., Tursunov, O., Venetis, C., Xenarios, S. and Inglezakis, V. (2019), “Survey on household solid waste sorting at source in developing economies: a case study of Nur-Sultan city in Kazakhstan”, Sustainability, Vol. 11 No. 22, pp. 1-20.

    17. Sia, J. K. M., Ho, J. M., & Hii, I. S. (2024). Green meets food delivery services: consumers' intention to reuse food delivery containers in the post-pandemic era. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 7(1), 541-561.

    18. Sia, J., Hii, I., & Ho, J. (2023). Covid-19 and sustainable environment: understanding higher education students' willingness to pay more for food delivery containers. Kybernetes, 52(7), 2488-2506. https://doi.org/10.1108/k-07-2022-1061

    19. Stancu, V., Haugaard, P., Lahteenmaki, L., 2016. Determinants of consumer food waste behaviour: two routes to food waste. Appetite 96, 7–17.

    20. Suarez-Perales, I., Valero-Gil, J., Leyva-de la Hiz, D.I., Rivera-Torres, P. and Garces-Ayerbe, C. (2021). “Educating for the future: how higher education in environmental management affects pro-environmental behaviour”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 321.

    21. Talwar, S., Kaur, P., Kumar, S., Salo, J., Dhir, A. (2022). The balancing act: How do moral norms and anticipated pride drive food waste/reduction behaviour? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2022, 66.

    22. Tarinc, A., Aytekin, A., Ozbek, O., Ergün, G., Keleş, A., Uslu, F., … & Yayla, Ö. (2023). How do food neophobia and neophilia moderate the effect of local food quality on dining satisfaction and post-dining behavioral intention in the perspective of sustainable gastronomy tourism?. Sustainability, 15(12), 9510. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129510

    23. The Malaysian Insight (2021, June 21) Food deliveries lead to more plastic waste. The Malaysian Insight: https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/319886

    24. Troise, C., O’Driscoll, A., Tani, M., & Prisco, A. (2020). Online food delivery services and behavioural intention – a test of an integrated tam and tpb framework. British Food Journal, 123(2), 664-683. https://doi.org/10.1108/bfj-05-2020-0418

    25. Wan, C., Shen, G.Q. and Yu, A. (2014), “The moderating effect of perceived policy effectiveness on recycling intention”, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Vol. 37, pp. 55-60.

    26. Wu, M. (2024). Modelling the significance of food delivery service quality on customer satisfaction and reuse intention. Plos One, 19(2), e0293914. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0293914

    27. Xu, L., Ling, M., Lu, Y. and Shen, M. (2017), “Understanding household waste separation behaviour: testing the roles of moral, past experience, and perceived policy effectiveness within the theory of planned behaviour”, Sustainability, Vol. 9 No. 4, pp. 1-25.