Factors affecting retailers' fruit waste management: Behavior analysis using the theory of planned behavior and norm activation model

Fruit waste occurs at all stages of the supply chain. Thus, a single behavior or stakeholder cannot be identified as responsible for fruit wasted. It should be instead considered that a combination of multiple behaviors can increase or decrease the possibility of fruit being wasted. In this context, research on behaviors leading to waste minimization is essential to achieve food security and environmental protection. Iran is one of the largest fruit producers globally, and 35 million tons of food are wasted yearly in different harvesting stages, more than the annual agricultural waste produced by developed countries. In this context, the present study analyzes the behavior of Iranian retailers toward fruit waste management using a conceptual framework that combines the Theory of Planned Behavior and Norm Activation Model. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied to 230 fruit retailers. The hypotheses were tested by Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Attitude, perceived behavioral control, personal norms, and awareness of consequences directly influenced fruit retailers' fruit waste management intention. Subjective norm and responsibility indirectly influenced intention, through attitude and personal norms, respectively. Understanding of behavior determinants of fruit retailers supports the design of effective measures for waste reduction with environmental and social benefits.