PREVIOUS RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT UP TO 40% OF FOOD PRODUCED IN THE U.S. IS LOST OR WASTED WHILE ABOUT 1 IN 8 HOUSEHOLDS IS FOOD INSECURE. THE ONGOING COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS CREATED SUBSTANTIAL UNCERTAINTY AT THE RETAIL LEVEL OF THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN, POTENTIALLY ALTERING FOOD SHOPPING AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT COULD AFFECT FOOD LOSS AND WASTE (FL&W). RECOGNIZING FL&W, USDA AND USEPA ESTABLISHED A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM WITH A GOAL TO REDUCE FL&W 50% BY 2030. HOWEVER, THE PROGRAM FALLS SHORT OF THIRD-PARTY MONITORING AND CERTIFICATION OR PROVIDING PARTICIPANTS WITH A FORMALIZED MEANS OF PROMOTING THEIR FL&W REDUCTION EFFORTS. WHILE FL&W PROGRAM PECIFICATIONS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FACILITATE ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS IN FL&W, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE ADDITIONAL PROGRAM MEASURES AND HOW CONSUMERS AND RETAILERS RESPOND TO THE INFORMATION ABOUT CERTIFICATION HAS NOT BEEN STUDIED. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY WILL INFORM FUTURE FL&W PROGRAMS ABOUT HOW SPECIFICATIONS COULD IMPACT AT-HOME FL&W BEHAVIORS, WILLINGNESS TO PAY (WTP) FOR PRODUCTS, AND SHOPPER STORE CHOICE GIVEN FL&W REDUCTION PROGRAMS AND ADOPTION OF SPECIFIC FL&W REDUCTION PRACTICES. IN ADDITION, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL MEASURE RETAILER PERCEPTIONS OF FL&W, BARRIERS TO ADOPTION, AND WILLINGNESS TO ADOPT (WTA) A FL&W REDUCTION CERTIFICATION PROGRAM BASED ON A REDUCTION TARGET AND ON SPECIFIC REDUCTION PRACTICES. FINALLY, THE POTENTIAL INFLUENCE OF COVID-19 ON FL&W DUE TO BEHAVIORS ADJUSTMENTS OF CONSUMERS AND GROCERS WILL BE ASSESSED. THE INFORMATION FROM THIS STUDY ABOUT CONSUMER AND RETAILER ATTITUDES TOWARD FL&W REDUCTION PROGRAMS COULD AID IN FUTURE VOLUNTARY FL&W REDUCTION PROGRAM DESIGN.

University Of Tennessee, Memphis TN

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