Exploring Factors Driving Awareness of Food Waste Reduction Among Urban Households in Bangladesh: A SEM Analysis

Tahmina Khatun, Dr. Md. Elias Hossain · 10.63414/jeas.v9.n1.2025.40

Abstract

Amidst a stark reality where 36% of Bangladesh's population struggles with food insecurity, the staggering annual wastage of 82 kilograms of food per person stands as a profound moral and social crisis. That is why this study aimed to explore the key factors influencing urban households' in-home food waste awareness with a focus on understanding how health considerations, preservation knowledge, packaging awareness, and food management practices contribute to awareness levels. Data were collected from a household survey (n=349) of the three largest city corporations in Bangladesh. After that, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to validate the proposed awareness model empirically. The results of the study revealed that among the four dimensions of the in-home awareness model, health importance and shelf-life knowledge of foods had a significant positive relation with the awareness. The other two factors (consciousness of packaging size with food quality and knowledge about food management) had an insignificant but negative relation with the awareness of food waste reduction. As Bangladesh is working towards sustainable development goals, this result would help notably in waste management and responsible consumerism, as well as developing consumer awareness campaigns.

Conclusion

Article Details Exploring Factors Driving Awareness of Food Waste Reduction Among Urban Households in Bangladesh: A SEM Analysis Authors: Tahmina KhatunDr. Md. Elias Hossain Keywords: Food wasteHousehold food waste awarenessExploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)Structural equation modelling (SEM) Download This study explored the factors influencing household knowledge of food waste and their impact on waste reduction practices among urban households in Bangladesh. The results revealed that health awareness and food preservation knowledge significantly and positively influence food waste awareness, while knowledge of food management and packaging awareness showed negative but statistically insignificant relationships. These findings indicate that there must be targeted interventions to enhance household understanding of food waste reduction. Based on the results, it is recommended that policymakers integrate food waste education into health and nutrition campaigns, promote public awareness of food preservation techniques, encourage packaging innovations for smaller portions, and raise the quality of preservation techniques. Aligning these actions with the Sustainable Development Goals can strengthen national efforts to reduce urban food waste and promote sustainable consumption behavior.

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