Behavioral intention toward waste-to-value food: A cross-country study of consumers in Vietnam and the United States

Food waste has become an important challenge for advancing circular food systems, yet consumer adoption of Waste-to-Value (WTV) Food as a food waste valorization strategy remains insufficiently understood. This study examines the psychological drivers of Behavioral Intention toward WTV Food extending the Value-Belief-Norm framework with anticipated emotions (Pride and Guilt) and comparing respondents’ Behavioral Intention in Vietnam and the United States, two markets with different institutional and market conditions for food waste valorization. Data from 770 respondents from both countries were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The findings show that both Self-transcendent and Self-enhancement Values influence Behavioral Intention toward WTV Food through distinct pathways across the two countries. Anticipated Feeling of Pride and Guilt further link Awareness of Responsibility to personal norm, with Pride being stronger in Vietnam and Guilt in the United States. Overall, the results reveal culturally differentiated value, emotional, and normative mechanisms underlying WTV Food adoption. Accordingly, policymakers, educators and food businesses should combine education and information-, value-, emotion- and norm-based communication with context-sensitive value framing, awareness-building, and trust-enhancing initiatives. The study contributes to understanding the value, cognitive, emotional, and normative mechanisms underlying WTV Food adoption.