Under the social spotlight: how does social norm evoke consumers’ willingness to avoid food waste?

Purpose This study aims to combine the theory of planned behavior, social comparison theory, prototypical model of awe and Chinese cultural scenarios to explore how social norm evokes consumers’ willingness to avoid food waste. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 454 Chinese consumers using a questionnaire on the Credamo platform to test the research model. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling and importance-performance map analysis were used to test the relationship among variables. Findings The partial least squares-structural equation modeling results indicated that social norm influence consumers’ willingness to avoid food waste through the chain mediating effects of social comparison and awe. Face consciousness positively moderates the mediating effect of awe. The importance-performance map analysis results found that social norm was the most important predictor of consumers’ willingness to avoid food waste. Originality/value The findings provide theoretical grounding for designing more effective strategies to combat food waste, especially by leveraging psychological and social factors to promote sustainable consumption behaviors.