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This study investigates the behavioural and environmental dimensions of household food waste in Delhi, India, with a focus on the interplay between consumer practices, environmental awareness, policy support, and sustainable behaviour. Using a structured questionnaire administered to 220 urban households and applying both multiple regression and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the research explores the underlying drivers of food waste at the consumer level. The analysis is anchored in the Theory of Planned Behaviour and incorporates stakeholder insights from NGOs, municipal bodies, and the hotel industry to build a comprehensive framework.
The findings indicate that while environmental awareness significantly influences sustainable practices (β = 0.5336, p < 0.001), it does not always translate into concern for personal environmental impact, exposing a persistent attitude–behaviour gap. Households that reported higher food waste were significantly less likely to adopt sustainable behaviours (β = -0.3606, p < 0.001), while paradoxically showing higher instances of meal planning, possibly as a reactive strategy. Policy support positively influenced awareness and planning behaviour but had an unexpectedly negative relationship with concern for environmental footprint (β = -0.2276, p < 0.05), highlighting a disconnect between symbolic support and behavioural change.
The study concludes that reducing household food waste requires not only awareness but also systemic behavioural shifts, policy redesign, and infrastructural support. While limited to an urban sample and based on self-reported data, the research offers valuable insights for designing localized, behaviourally informed interventions to reduce food waste and promote sustainability in India's urban food systems.
