Implications to reduce food waste and enhance sustainable food supply : results from a choice experiment with professionals and lay consumers

Abstract

Background: Today’s consumers are accustomed to purchasing visually flawless fruits and vegetables from a globalized market. However, it remains unclear whether they are willing to buy produce with visual imperfections to reduce foodwaste. This choice experiment investigated which product attributes influence consumers’ willingness to purchase “imperfect” apples. The analysis comparedprofessionals from the food and health sectors with lay consumers. Methods: In early 2024, a nationwide online survey was conducted in Germany, including a choice experiment implemented using Sawtooth software. The experiment assessed preferences for various apple attributes: regional origin, cultivation method, price per kilogram, promotional claims, and appearance. Responses from professionals in the food and nutrition sectors were compared with those from lay persons across different age groups. Latent class analysis(LCA) was applied to identify consumer segments based on the relative importance of these attributes in their purchasing decisions. Results: A total of 118 individuals participated in the study (74.6% female). The majority were aged 20–29 years (35.9%), and 14.1% were aged 60 years or older. More than half (55.1%) reported working in the food or health sector. LCA revealed four distinct consumer segments: (1) multi-criteria-focused, (2) sustainability-focused, (3) price-driven, and (4) claim/appearance-focused. Professionals were predominantly classified as rationalists, assigning importance to all attributes except promotional claims. Accordingly, they were underrepresented in the claim/appearance segment. Female participants were most prevalent in the sustainability-focused segment, while male participants were more frequently found in the price-driven segment. Conclusion: Efforts to promote the purchase of visually imperfect produceshould be tailored to specific target groups. Consumers oriented toward price, regionality, or sustainability may be more receptive to purchasing such products. Professionals in the food and health sectors demonstrated a more comprehensive, multi-criteria-based approach to product evaluation, indicating that education remains a valuable strategy. These findings provide insight into consumer preferences and offer practical implications for food producers aiming