The Behavioural Insights Team recently met up with GreeNudge, a Norwegian organisation that researches behavioural approaches to encouraging environmentally friendly choices. Among other things, we discussed their latest study on food waste.
GreeNudge conducted randomised controlled trials in hotel restaurants with food buffets. They found that reducing plate size and communicating that it’s ok to come back for another serving resulted in a decrease in food waste whilst hotel guest satisfaction remained the same.
The trial tested two interventions and found impressive results:
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Reducing the plate size reduced food waste by 19.5%.*
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Introducing a sign pointing out that guests can help themselves more than once reduced food waste by 20.5%.*
* p<0.001
