Determinants of wasteful food consumption behaviors of young consumers in Ho Chi Minh City
0
Online Published:
25/11/2025
Section:
Business Administration, Marketing, Commerce, and Tourism
Main Article Content
Abstract
Food waste is a serious global issue with multidimensional economic, environmental, and social consequences. In major urban centers such as Ho Chi Minh City, this behavior is increasingly prevalent, particularly among young consumers (aged 18-35), causing significant resource losses and affecting sustainable development. The study utilizes an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach, including a qualitative phase through focus group discussions with experts and young consumers, followed by a quantitative phase with data collected from an online survey of 338 young people living and working in Ho Chi Minh City. Research results indicate that factors such as personal values, attitude towards food waste, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, emotions, and habit all have a significant influence on intention, thereby influencing food waste behavior. Notably, habit and negative emotions play a prominent role in shaping actual behavior. These findings not only contribute to expanding the understanding of behavioral theoretical models but also provide an important empirical basis for designing communication programs, educational policies, and behavioral interventions aimed at raising awareness, changing habits, and promoting more responsible food consumption among the young urban community.
Keywords
Consumer behavior; Food waste; Ho Chi Minh City; Young people
Article Details
Field of Economic (JEL Codes)
E21 - Consumption • Saving • Wealth - Consumption, Saving, Production, Investment, Labor Markets, and Informal Economy, P36 - Consumer Economics • Health • Education and Training • Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions, P46 - Consumer Economics • Health • Education and Training • Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty - Other Economic Systems
References
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Aktas, E., Sahin, H., Topaloglu, Z., Oledinma, A., Huda, A. K. S., Irani, Z., Sharif, A. M., van’t Wout, T., & Kamrava, M. (2018). A consumer behavioural approach to food waste. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 31(5), 658–673. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-03-2018-0051
Aschemann-Witzel, J., de Hooge, I., Amani, P., Bech-Larsen, T., & Oostindjer, M. (2015). Consumer-related food waste: Causes and potential for action. Sustainability, 7(6), 6457–6477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7066457
Aydin, A. E., & Yildirim, P. (2020). Understanding food waste behavior: The role of morals, habits and knowledge. Journal of Cleaner Production. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124250
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16(1), 74-94.
Cheng, X., Zhang, J., & Li, W. (2024). What shapes food waste behaviors? New insights from a comprehensive action determination model. Waste Management, 174, 1–10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X24002319?via%3Dihub
Chin, W. W., & Newsted, P. R. (1999). Structural equation modeling analysis with small samples using partial least squares. In Statistical Strategies for Small Sample Research (pp. 307-341). Sage Publications.
Coşkun, A., & Yetkin Özbük, R. M. (2020). What influences consumer food waste behavior in restaurants? An application of the extended theory of planned behavior. Waste Management, 117, 170–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.08.011
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Dawes, J. (2008). Do data characteristics change according to the number of scale points used? An experiment using 5-point, 7-point and 10-point scales. International Journal of Market Research, 50(1), 61–77.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2019). The State of Food and Agriculture 2019. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4060/ca6030en
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50.
Grasso, A. C., Olthof, M. R., Boevé, A. J., van Dooren, C., Lähteenmäki, L., & Brouwer, I. A. (2019). Socio-demographic predictors of food waste behavior in Denmark and Spain. Sustainability, 11(12), 3244. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123244
Habib, M. D., Kaur, P., Sharma, V., & Talwar, S. (2023). Analyzing the food waste reduction intentions of UK households: A Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) theory perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 74, 103471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103471
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2014). Editorial: The use of partial least squares structural equation modeling in strategic management research. Long Range Planning, 47(6), 441-458.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Homer, P. M., & Kahle, L. R. (1988). A structural equation test of the value–attitude–behavior hierarchy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(4), 638–646.
Huang, C.-H., & Tseng, H.-Y. (2020). An exploratory study of consumer food waste attitudes, social norms, behavioral intentions, and restaurant plate waste behaviors in Taiwan. Sustainability, 12(22), 9784. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229784
Hulland, J., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). The role of measurement models in structural equation modeling. In Advances in Social Science Research Methods (pp. 16-32). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Jabeen, F., Dhir, A., Islam, N., Talwar, S., & Papa, A. (2022). Emotions and food waste behavior: Do habit and facilitating conditions matter? Journal of Business Research, 145, 14–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.02.008
Jia, L., Zhang, Y., & Qiao, G. (2022). Consumer-related antecedents of waste behavior in online food ordering: A study among young adults in China. Foods, 11(19), 3098. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193098
Jörissen, J., Priefer, C., & Bräutigam, K. R. (2015). Food waste generation at household level: Results of a survey among employees of two European research centers in Italy and Germany. Sustainability, 7(3), 2695-2715. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7032695
Kavanaugh, M., & Quinlan, J. J. (2020). Consumer knowledge and behaviors regarding food date labels and food waste. Food Control, 115, 107285.
Kvale, S. (1996). InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Sage Publications.
Lavén, L. (2017). Consumers’ food waste behaviour in restaurants (Bachelor's thesis). University of Gothenburg. Retrieved from https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/52815
Li, C., Zhou, Z., Liu, Z., Fang, Q., & Han, G. (2024). From attitude to behavior: The effect of residents’ food waste attitudes on their food waste behaviors in Shanghai. Foods, 13(14), 2201. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13142201
Mawar, P. C., & Adiati, L. (2018). Analysis of behavioral determinants preventing food waste in consumers based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) mediated by behavior intention. International Journal of Economics, Business and Social Science (IJEBSS), 3(1). Retrieved from https://ijebss.ph/index.php/ijebss/article/view/153
Mondejar-Jimenez, J. A., Ferrari, G., Secondi, L., & Principato, L. (2016). From the table to waste: An exploratory study on behaviour towards food waste of Spanish and Italian youths. Journal of Cleaner Production, 138, 8–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.018
Nguyen, T. H., & colleagues. (2017). An analysis of the impact of factors on export performance in the e-commerce sector. Journal of Economics and Development, 23(1), 45–56.
Nguyen, T. T. G., & Nguyen, G. H. (2025). Behavioral Drivers of Food Waste Reduction in Urban Vietnam. The Journal of Behavioral Science, 20(1), 75–88.
Pandey, S., Budhathoki, M., Perez-Cueto, F. J. A., & Thomsen, M. (2023). Factors influencing consumers' food waste reduction behaviour at university canteens. Waste Management, 166, 139–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.04.032
Pocol, C. B., Pinoteau, M., Amuza, A., Burlea-Schiopoiu, A., & Glogovetan, A.-I. (2020). Food waste behavior among Romanian consumers: A cluster analysis. Sustainability, 12(22), 9708. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229708
Russell, S. V., Young, C. W., Unsworth, K. L., & Robinson, C. (2017). Bringing habits and emotions into food waste behaviour. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 125, 107–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.06.007
Salins, M., & Aithal, P. S. (2023). Consumers’ intention toward mitigation of plate waste behaviour in restaurants – Development of conceptual model. International Journal of Management, Technology, and Social Sciences (IJMTS), 8(2), 190–230. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8047918
Scherhaufer, S., Moates, G., Hartikainen, H., Waldron, K., & Obersteiner, G. (2018). Environmental impacts of food waste in Europe. Waste Management, 77, 98–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.04.038
Soma, T. (2019). Space to waste: the influence of income and retail choice on household food consumption and food waste in Indonesia. International Planning Studies, 25(4), 372–392.
Stancu, V., Haugaard, P., & Lähteenmäki, L. (2016). Determinants of consumer food waste behaviour: Two routes to food waste. Appetite, 96, 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.08.025
Triandis, H. C. (1977). Interpersonal behavior. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Tsai, W.-C., Chen, X., & Yang, C. (2020). Consumer food waste behavior among emerging adults: Evidence from China. Foods, 9(7), 961. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9070961
United Nations Environment Programme. (2024). Food Waste Index Report 2024. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/food-waste-index-report-2024
Verplanken, B., & Wood, W. (2006). Interventions to break and create consumer habits. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 25(1), 90–103. https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.25.1.090
Visschers, V. H. M., Wickli, N., & Siegrist, M. (2016). Sorting out food waste behavior: A survey on the motivators and barriers of self-reported amounts of food waste in households. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 45, 66–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.11.007
Weiss, R. S. (1994). Learning from strangers: The art and method of qualitative interview studies. Free Press.
Wood, W., & Neal, D. T. (2009). The habitual consumer: Beyond reflexive choice. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 19(4), 579–592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2009.08.003
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Akhter, S., Rather, M. I., & Zargar, U. R. (2024). Understanding the food waste behaviour in university students: An application of the theory of planned behaviour. Journal of Cleaner Production, 435, 140241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.140241
Aktas, E., Sahin, H., Topaloglu, Z., Oledinma, A., Huda, A. K. S., Irani, Z., Sharif, A. M., van’t Wout, T., & Kamrava, M. (2018). A consumer behavioural approach to food waste. Journal of Enterprise Information Management, 31(5), 658–673. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-03-2018-0051
Aschemann-Witzel, J., de Hooge, I., Amani, P., Bech-Larsen, T., & Oostindjer, M. (2015). Consumer-related food waste: Causes and potential for action. Sustainability, 7(6), 6457–6477. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7066457
Aydin, A. E., & Yildirim, P. (2020). Understanding food waste behavior: The role of morals, habits and knowledge. Journal of Cleaner Production. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124250
Bagozzi, R. P., & Yi, Y. (1988). On the evaluation of structural equation models. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 16(1), 74-94.
Cheng, X., Zhang, J., & Li, W. (2024). What shapes food waste behaviors? New insights from a comprehensive action determination model. Waste Management, 174, 1–10. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0956053X24002319?via%3Dihub
Chin, W. W., & Newsted, P. R. (1999). Structural equation modeling analysis with small samples using partial least squares. In Statistical Strategies for Small Sample Research (pp. 307-341). Sage Publications.
Coşkun, A., & Yetkin Özbük, R. M. (2020). What influences consumer food waste behavior in restaurants? An application of the extended theory of planned behavior. Waste Management, 117, 170–178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.08.011
Danso.info. (2025). Dân số TP Hồ Chí Minh 2024 - Thống kê chi tiết [Ho Chi Minh City population 2024 - Detailed statistics]. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://danso.info/dan-so-tp-ho-chi-minh/
Dawes, J. (2008). Do data characteristics change according to the number of scale points used? An experiment using 5-point, 7-point and 10-point scales. International Journal of Market Research, 50(1), 61–77.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2019). The State of Food and Agriculture 2019. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4060/ca6030en
Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50.
Grasso, A. C., Olthof, M. R., Boevé, A. J., van Dooren, C., Lähteenmäki, L., & Brouwer, I. A. (2019). Socio-demographic predictors of food waste behavior in Denmark and Spain. Sustainability, 11(12), 3244. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123244
Habib, M. D., Kaur, P., Sharma, V., & Talwar, S. (2023). Analyzing the food waste reduction intentions of UK households: A Value-Attitude-Behavior (VAB) theory perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 74, 103471. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2023.103471
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage Publications.
Hair, J. F., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2014). Editorial: The use of partial least squares structural equation modeling in strategic management research. Long Range Planning, 47(6), 441-458.
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115-135.
Homer, P. M., & Kahle, L. R. (1988). A structural equation test of the value–attitude–behavior hierarchy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54(4), 638–646.
Huang, C.-H., & Tseng, H.-Y. (2020). An exploratory study of consumer food waste attitudes, social norms, behavioral intentions, and restaurant plate waste behaviors in Taiwan. Sustainability, 12(22), 9784. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229784
Hulland, J., & Bentler, P. M. (1999). The role of measurement models in structural equation modeling. In Advances in Social Science Research Methods (pp. 16-32). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Jabeen, F., Dhir, A., Islam, N., Talwar, S., & Papa, A. (2022). Emotions and food waste behavior: Do habit and facilitating conditions matter? Journal of Business Research, 145, 14–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.02.008
Jia, L., Zhang, Y., & Qiao, G. (2022). Consumer-related antecedents of waste behavior in online food ordering: A study among young adults in China. Foods, 11(19), 3098. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11193098
Jörissen, J., Priefer, C., & Bräutigam, K. R. (2015). Food waste generation at household level: Results of a survey among employees of two European research centers in Italy and Germany. Sustainability, 7(3), 2695-2715. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7032695
Kavanaugh, M., & Quinlan, J. J. (2020). Consumer knowledge and behaviors regarding food date labels and food waste. Food Control, 115, 107285.
Kvale, S. (1996). InterViews: An introduction to qualitative research interviewing. Sage Publications.
Lavén, L. (2017). Consumers’ food waste behaviour in restaurants (Bachelor's thesis). University of Gothenburg. Retrieved from https://gupea.ub.gu.se/handle/2077/52815
Li, C., Zhou, Z., Liu, Z., Fang, Q., & Han, G. (2024). From attitude to behavior: The effect of residents’ food waste attitudes on their food waste behaviors in Shanghai. Foods, 13(14), 2201. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13142201
Mawar, P. C., & Adiati, L. (2018). Analysis of behavioral determinants preventing food waste in consumers based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) mediated by behavior intention. International Journal of Economics, Business and Social Science (IJEBSS), 3(1). Retrieved from https://ijebss.ph/index.php/ijebss/article/view/153
Mondejar-Jimenez, J. A., Ferrari, G., Secondi, L., & Principato, L. (2016). From the table to waste: An exploratory study on behaviour towards food waste of Spanish and Italian youths. Journal of Cleaner Production, 138, 8–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.06.018
Nguyen, T. H., & colleagues. (2017). An analysis of the impact of factors on export performance in the e-commerce sector. Journal of Economics and Development, 23(1), 45–56.
Nguyen, T. T. G., & Nguyen, G. H. (2025). Behavioral Drivers of Food Waste Reduction in Urban Vietnam. The Journal of Behavioral Science, 20(1), 75–88.
Pandey, S., Budhathoki, M., Perez-Cueto, F. J. A., & Thomsen, M. (2023). Factors influencing consumers' food waste reduction behaviour at university canteens. Waste Management, 166, 139–147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2023.04.032
Pocol, C. B., Pinoteau, M., Amuza, A., Burlea-Schiopoiu, A., & Glogovetan, A.-I. (2020). Food waste behavior among Romanian consumers: A cluster analysis. Sustainability, 12(22), 9708. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229708
Russell, S. V., Young, C. W., Unsworth, K. L., & Robinson, C. (2017). Bringing habits and emotions into food waste behaviour. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 125, 107–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2017.06.007
Salins, M., & Aithal, P. S. (2023). Consumers’ intention toward mitigation of plate waste behaviour in restaurants – Development of conceptual model. International Journal of Management, Technology, and Social Sciences (IJMTS), 8(2), 190–230. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8047918
Scherhaufer, S., Moates, G., Hartikainen, H., Waldron, K., & Obersteiner, G. (2018). Environmental impacts of food waste in Europe. Waste Management, 77, 98–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2018.04.038
Soma, T. (2019). Space to waste: the influence of income and retail choice on household food consumption and food waste in Indonesia. International Planning Studies, 25(4), 372–392.
Stancu, V., Haugaard, P., & Lähteenmäki, L. (2016). Determinants of consumer food waste behaviour: Two routes to food waste. Appetite, 96, 7–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2015.08.025
Triandis, H. C. (1977). Interpersonal behavior. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Tsai, W.-C., Chen, X., & Yang, C. (2020). Consumer food waste behavior among emerging adults: Evidence from China. Foods, 9(7), 961. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9070961
United Nations Environment Programme. (2024). Food Waste Index Report 2024. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/resources/publication/food-waste-index-report-2024
Verplanken, B., & Wood, W. (2006). Interventions to break and create consumer habits. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 25(1), 90–103. https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.25.1.090
Visschers, V. H. M., Wickli, N., & Siegrist, M. (2016). Sorting out food waste behavior: A survey on the motivators and barriers of self-reported amounts of food waste in households. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 45, 66–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2015.11.007
Weiss, R. S. (1994). Learning from strangers: The art and method of qualitative interview studies. Free Press.
Wood, W., & Neal, D. T. (2009). The habitual consumer: Beyond reflexive choice. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 19(4), 579–592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcps.2009.08.003
How to Cite
Nong , T. N. M., Tran, N. T. V., Tran , N. T. M., Tran , T. T. T., Tran, P. B. T., & Mai , D. P. (2025). Determinants of wasteful food consumption behaviors of young consumers in Ho Chi Minh City. Journal of Finance - Marketing Research, 3(5ene). https://doi.org/10.52932/jfmr.v3i5ene.927