Message Framing and Self‐Control in Food Waste Reduction: Time of Day as a Situational Proxy for Self‐Control Resources

This research examines message strategies to motivate individuals to reduce food waste, focusing on whether and how framing effects depend on self‐control resources as a boundary condition. Study 1 shows that loss‐framed messages increased intentions to reduce food waste when self‐control was low, but no framing effect emerged when self‐control was high. Building on evidence that self‐control is generally higher in the morning and declines by evening, Study 2 used time of day as a situational proxy for self‐control resources. Results indicate that loss‐framed messages were more effective in the evening, increasing willingness to purchase imperfect food, but no framing effect was observed in the morning. Study 3 replicated this pattern and found that loss‐framed messages increased participants' motivation to seek information about reducing food waste in the evening, but not in the morning. Perceived severity of the negative consequences of food waste mediated this framing effect.