AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightThese findings indicate the need of more effective communication about food labels, particularly date labels, in order to contribute in reducing household food waste, and potentially improving food security.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Özet
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak affected the whole world at different scales: politically, economically, and socially, including compromising food security. All over the world people experienced significant changes contributing to different reactions and attitudes: fear, anxiety, depression... Therefore, this pandemic has altered their behaviour. This research aimed to evaluate to which extent crisis situation, like COVID-19 pandemic, would affect consumers interest to food labels, and the consequences on food waste. An online survey of 295 Tunisian consumers was conducted three months after COVID-19 lockdown. The survey collected information on demographic data, extent of household food waste, use and knowledge of food labelling information and food waste assessment. The pandemic situation enhanced consumers’ interests to labels, as 61% of respondents stated to pay great attention to labels and to always check them. Elderly and university educated respondents are the most sensitive people to labels, in a COVID-19 context. Regarding understanding food labels, particularly date labels, Tunisian consumers still have some ambiguity as 33% could not provide correct answers about date labels definitions, which may lead to food spoilage and misuse. Interestingly, most of respondents declared to waste a low amount of food on post Covid-19 period. Their judgment in discarding a food product was based mostly on food storage considerations than on the use of date labels. These findings indicate the need of more effective communication about food labels, particularly date labels, in order to contribute in reducing household food waste, and potentially improving food security.