At a time of rising food costs and growing food insecurity, a large percentage of food grown for consumption never reaches our tables.

Indeed, some estimates suggest that approximately 40 per cent of fruits and vegetables never even leave farms. Much of it gets rejected by wholesalers and retailers based on irregularities in weight, size or shape.

This desire for cosmetically appealing food also extends to consumers, as we often prefer picture-perfect produce. Unsurprisingly, this wanton waste takes a significant environmental toll, with an estimated eight to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions tied to unconsumed food.

Showing ugly produce some love

Some companies have taken strides to counter food waste. A prominent example in the United States is Misfits Market, which launched in 2018.

By buying misshapen and ugly produce and reselling it at discount prices in subscription boxes, Misfits Market has grown into a billion-dollar business.

Closer to home, Loblaw CompaniesSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒渘aturally imperfectSA国际影视传媒� line offers visually unappealing produce at lower prices, while newcomers such as Montreal-based Food Hero are developing apps to reduce a different but persistent form of waste by helping customers find deals on food approaching its best-by date.

Despite such encouraging efforts, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 still a lot of work to do on changing attitudes and behaviours to alleviate waste. This has become an important academic issue, and is increasingly being tackled by those of us in marketing, a field that has perpetuated this cycle of waste.

In a recent study, we introduced our RESCUER framework designed to expose students to food waste and to generate behavioural changes. We developed it over three years through research assignments undertaken by students in our classes at Carleton University. We used 90 reflective essay assignments alongside 63 sets of surveys (administered pre- and post-assignment) to develop the framework.

Steps towards change

RESCUER stands for the steps in the process of learning, action and change undertaken by students, and combines passive and active modes of learning.

We first engaged students with resources SA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒減assiveSA国际影视传媒� forms of learning through lectures and curated readings on food waste, irregularly shaped produce and sustainable practices.

Next, students engaged in an experiential learning exercise that had them actively planning, shopping for and preparing a salad with food waste issues in mind, before writing reflective journals about their experiences. Journaling allows students to articulate their feelings, thoughts and values, leads them to examine and challenge pre-conceived assumptions, practices and policies, and encourages them to be more alert when shopping for and preparing food.

We next accounted for the social influences of family, friends and peers on sustainability-minded behaviours.

Throughout the process, students developed a greater cognizance of food waste, and these issues became more readily and consistently resonant when shopping. The process also resulted in underlying problem-salience SA国际影视传媒� the spontaneous evocation of the food waste problem in consumersSA国际影视传媒� minds as soon as they need to buy or prepare food.

Finally, we identified factors that expedite learning and adoption processes, such as the availability of recycling and composting facilities at home and access to retailers that support sustainable practices and provide price discounts.

Student comments

The results? Well, students emerged with a much deeper understanding of food waste and an increase in responsible attitudes and behaviours. This increase in responsibility is evident in the comments from students about RESCUER, including:

SA国际影视传媒淚 am cognizant of the negative effects that food abnormalities have on the environment due to food waste issues. On that account, I will surely change some of my habits to match my perceived identity. Seeing myself as, and wanting to be more of, a pro-environmental person, I want my actions regarding food waste to match this desired self-identity.SA国际影视传媒�

The studentsSA国际影视传媒� newfound awareness also translated into more responsible consumption behaviours. They started choosing imperfect produce, as one student reported:

SA国际影视传媒淚 bought abnormal carrots and green onions and even considered some oddly shaped bell peppers in my purchase decisions.SA国际影视传媒�

They also became less picky about expiration dates, according to another student who was conscious of preventing waste:

SA国际影视传媒淐ompleting this assignment has increased my awareness to ensure to take the foods on the shelves that are approaching their best-before date as opposed to selecting the freshest option each time.SA国际影视传媒�

Another responsible action is in how students spread what they have learned, as one noted:

SA国际影视传媒淚 am certainly going to share what I have learned from the readings with friends and family.SA国际影视传媒�

These qualitative findings are further validated by our survey results. A comparative analysis was conducted before and after the frameworkSA国际影视传媒檚 implementation. It revealed that studentsSA国际影视传媒� awareness, understanding and actions related to sustainability were all improved after having completed the exercise.

Educators can change attitudes

Overall, weSA国际影视传媒檝e seen our RESCUER framework cultivate a shift towards responsible consumption, and it also situates marketing education within a sustainability narrative.

Ours is an example of how educators can play a crucial role in changing attitudes and actions, and in equipping future professionals with tools to tackle the challenges of sustainability.

Conversations about what sustainability entails, how it can be encouraged and its integration into education is more relevant than ever as we strive for ways to work towards a more sustainable future.

SA国际影视传媒擝y Narmin Tartila Banu, PhD candidate, marketing, Carleton University; Aron Darmody, associate professor of marketing, Carleton University; and Leighann C. Neilson, associate professor, marketing, Carleton University. This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.