LINKING KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS, AND SHOPPING HABITS: A PATHWAY TO REDUCING HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE

Ismawati Sharkawi and Nurul Aiman Idrus

Abstract

Abstract
Household food waste poses a critical global issue with profound economic,
environmental, and social impacts. In Malaysia, the problem has grown increasingly
severe, underscoring the importance of understanding consumer behaviour as a
basis for developing effective food waste reduction strategies. This study explores the
role of knowledge and awareness of food waste and examines their relationship with
consumers’ shopping habits. Responses were obtained using an online questionnaire
shared on social media, producing 719 valid responses using convenience and
snowball sampling techniques. Descriptive results indicated a relatively high level of
knowledge and awareness, with mean scores between 4.03 and 4.31. Correlation
analysis using Spearman’s rho revealed a moderate positive association between
knowledge and awareness of food waste and shopping habits (ρ = 0.443, p < 0.001),
indicating that consumers with greater knowledge and awareness are more likely to
adopt mindful shopping behaviours, including meal planning and careful purchasing.
These findings carry important implications for policymakers and educators in
designing targeted interventions to encourage sustainable consumption and reduce
household food waste in Malaysia.
Keywords: Awareness, Household food waste, Knowledge, Shopping habits