Understanding Household Behavioural Change and Mapping Solutions for Alleviating Household Food Waste in the City of Port Phillip

This study aimed to address the issue of household food waste in the City of Port Phillip, Victoria. The City of Port Phillip was chosen as a sample size for this thesis to measure its residents? behaviours, attitudes, and understanding of their household food waste habits and subsequent waste production. The three main research questions were primarily aimed at answering the following objectives: i) What are the causes of household food waste in the City of Port Phillip (CPP)? ii) What are the current barriers to alleviating household food waste? Iii) What strategies and interventions can be implemented to reduce household food waste in the CPP, and by whom? This study adopted a qualitative research design to comprehensively investigate household food waste in the City of Port Phillip. The findings subsequently answered these objectives and corroborated the research gap in this area, i.e., the understanding of consumer food waste behaviour at a household level in a suburban area in Victoria and a lack of clear local policies that directly address household behavioural change and food waste minimisation. Throughout this research, the proposed solutions all consist of a multifaceted intervention-based strategy. This research will contribute to the growing body of literature on sustainable food waste management techniques, thereby offering a model for other Victorian councils and suburbs to replicate and minimise their residents' food waste. The findings underscore the necessity for an integrated approach that combines community awareness, education, and engagement, as well as substantive policy frameworks led by the council that centre on behavioural change and innovation. The recommendations for future implementation include establishing behavioural change programs, exploring the potential of council led meal prepping and organic food waste workshops, as well as educational campaigns aimed at the general public on food storage and planning.