Eating out-of-home: Issues and concerns in the Italian context

The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of consumers concerning food waste in restaurants as well as to identify factors that influence changes in behaviour concerning food wasted in hospitality sector. This study provides a first insight of the factors that influence food waste reduction as well as the habit of making a shopping list from an individual perspective. Results show that food waste is not yet well discernible from consumers consuming lunch or dinner out-of-home. Leftover during out-of-home meals is minimal, although less than the percentage of food wasted in restaurants. Very often, the reason of food waste generation is to be attributed to the larger portions of the consumer's needs. This study provides relevant information for practitioner. In fact, based on the findings, greater attention could be paid by restaurateurs to managing the food portions in such a way as to avoid food waste as well as by helping consumers encouraging the adoption of doggy bags to preserve leftover food. The main limitation of the study can be found in the non-probabilistic sampling design used for the collection of data.