The Defaulted Doggy Bag

Overview

Overview

The need: Food waste in the Hospitality and Food Service sector is a significant problem. In the UK it was estimated that in 2016 wasted food cost this sector £3 billion. Furthermore it was estimated that 34% of the food that was wasted in this sector came directly from consumer plates. In Europe, taking leftovers home from a restaurant can lead to both feelings of pride about not wasting and feelings of embarrassment due to violating a social norm.

The solution: The current default situation is one in which asking for and offering a doggy bag is uncommon. This study examines whether changing the default situation will lead to higher uptake of doggy bags, and whether this also translates into less food waste. Three experiments were conducted in which the effects of changing the default situation and offering choice on doggy bag uptake were examined.

The benefit: Based on the findings, advice can be given to restaurants who want to limit plate waste, about how to advocate the uptake of doggy bags.