“Convenient tools and Social Norms: The Effectiveness of an Intervention to Diminish Household Food Waste” Was Held on June, 26, 2023

In this online journal club, which was directed by Professor Nasrin Omidvar, head of Department of Community Nutrition, Dr. Erica Van Herpen, Associate Professor of Department of Marketing and Consumer Behavior at Wageningen University, Netherlands, presented the results of their latest research findings related to the household food waste.

First of all, Professor Omidvar, welcomed the speaker and the attendees and considered this meeting as the beginning of cooperation between the Department of Community Nutrition, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute (NNFTRI) and Wageningen University. After that, Dr. Herpen presented the findings of their latest research entitled “Convenient Tools and Social Norms: Measuring the Effectiveness of an Intervention to Diminish Household Food Waste”, which will be published soon.

Firstly, the definition and extent of food waste were discussed, followed by the underlying factors of food waste in households, as well as solutions and interventions that can be implemented in this area. Dr. Herpen stated that this research utilized a comprehensive toolkit comprising all stages of planning for buying, storage, preparation, and consumption of food. This toolkit incorporated various tools such as cups for measurement, labels, and educational materials for reducing the food waste at household level.

She added, the research revealed that when the intervention tool is accompanied by a motivational message, it becomes more effective in reducing food waste compared to when the message was absent.

Additionally, articles were introduced, which outlined the validated tools for measuring household food waste and the motivations behind food waste.