CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2025
| Author | Wyatt, Oliver Austin |
|---|---|
| Title | Food Waste Reduction Policies in Austria |
| Summary | This thesis investigates whether public awareness of grocery store food waste influences consumer behavior, specifically among young adults in Vienna. Using an online survey, the study examines the relationship between concern about food waste, self-reported household waste habits, and consumers’ willingness to pay more or walk farther to support a grocery store that wastes less food. Four logistic regression models were used to explore this research question. While concern about food waste was high across the sample, behavioral intent did not increase linearly with concern. Participants reporting moderate concern for food waste were often more willing to act than those with very high or low concern. Household waste frequency showed weak and inconsistent effects, and income was positively and significantly associated with willingness to pay more. These results suggest that moral concern alone may not translate into behavioral change, particularly when structural or financial barriers are present. Policy implications are discussed in the context of Austria’s existing requirement for retailers to report and publicize food waste quarterly. |
| Supervisor | Weiler, Florian |
| Department | Public Policy MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2025/wyatt_oliver.pdf |
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