Reducing Food Waste Through Sharing Platforms: Unveiling the Rebound Effect

Food-sharing platforms are nowadays recognised as a powerful tool to increase food saving. However, little is known about the key determinants fostering its usage. We propose testing the psychosocial determinants of food-sharing app usage and its impact on post consumption behaviour by combining the technology acceptance model (TAM) with the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). A survey was conducted involving 1077 participants from Gen Z. By adopting covariance-based structural equation modeling, the findings support all the hypotheses proposed within TPB. Contrary to our prediction, we found that food-sharing app usage is positively associated with food waste behaviours. This unexpected result suggests a rebound effect, whereby the more frequently the app is used, the greater the amount of food wasted. This paradoxical dynamic opens up important theoretical implications, which challenge the assumption that food-sharing platforms and prosocial behaviours always lead to desirable environmental outcomes. It calls for a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between app usage and negative spillovers, particularly in the context of sustainability-oriented digital platforms, which may ultimately result in a rebound effect. From a managerial perspective, the study provides insights for improving the design of food-sharing platforms, emphasising the importance of not only facilitating access to surplus food but also fostering responsible consumption behaviours.