Abstract
Food waste generates a substantial amount of carbon emissions. One type of food waste – uneaten food left behind on plates at the end of a meal – is unnecessary because it does not improve the dining experience. This study explores two enjoyment-based interventions aimed at reducing plate waste at hotel buffets. The first intervention (“sweet delight”) offers guests a chance to win a luxury dessert for finishing all the food on their plate. The second intervention (“flipper”) involves giving away to hotel guests who leave no plate waste a token for a game of flipper (pinball). In a manipulation check survey experiment, we test whether the two interventions increase positive emotional engagement (i.e., enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement) and compare stated behavioural intentions to a control condition (no intervention). The “sweet delight” condition passes the manipulation check but does not increase intentions to leave no plate waste. The “flipper” intervention did not pass the manipulation check. A field study at a Slovenian hotel showed that “sweet delight” significantly reduced plate waste generated per hotel guest at dinner. The “flipper” intervention failed to change plate waste behaviour significantly. Findings point to enjoyment-based incentives as a promising avenue for behaviour change interventions aiming to trigger pro-environmental consumer behaviour. The “sweet delight” intervention tested in this study is available for immediate deployment by hotels that wish to reduce plate waste.