Food waste in households in poland—attitudes of young and older consumers towards the phenomenon of food waste as demonstrated by students and lecturers of puls

Abstract

The article aims to compare various aspects of food waste in the context of rational food management using the example of two groups: students and employees of Poznań University of Life Sciences (PULS). The survey was conducted on the current level of food wastage in the households of students and employees of PULS, involving 266 respondents, including 187 students (N1) and 79 employees (N2). The conducted research and analysis of the obtained results showed the differences between younger and older people in relation to proper food storage, appropriate use of food surplus, awareness of both consequences of food waste, and the existence of this problem is a consumer behavior. Both groups of surveyed consumers waste food, but students waste it more frequently and in larger quantities than the employees. This situation resulted from different consumer habits and attitudes towards food waste. The research indicated that employees are more effective in reducing food waste in their own households through better use of leftovers.