How to Reduce College Students’ Food Waste Behavior: From the Perspective of College Canteen Catering Modes

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

From the perspective of catering modes in college canteens, this paper focuses on college food waste, the research is relatively standardized, is a good research paper. However, there are some shortcomings that need to be further modified

First, why choose Xi 'an University of Architecture and Technology, to explain its representative.

Second, data collection should explain in detail how to issue questionnaires and how to collect questionnaires to ensure representativeness.

Third, in order to have a full dialogue with the existing literature, the discussion section needs to be strengthened.

From the perspective of catering modes in college canteens, this paper focuses on college food waste, the research is relatively standardized, is a good research paper. However, there are some shortcomings that need to be further modified

First, why choose Xi 'an University of Architecture and Technology, to explain its representative.

Second, data collection should explain in detail how to issue questionnaires and how to collect questionnaires to ensure representativeness.

Third, in order to have a full dialogue with the existing literature, the discussion section needs to be strengthened.

Author Response

Please see the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to read the article titled How to Reduce College Student’ Food Waste Behavior: From the Perspective of Catering Modes in College Canteens. This article explores the importance of reducing food waste in achieving sustainable development goals, especially focussing on the context of college students in China. It identifies drivers of food saving behaviour among college students and examines the moderating effects of different catering modes in college canteens. Through empirical analysis and modeling, the study finds that food-saving intention and herd mentality significantly influence students' food-saving behavior. Additionally, it highlights the impact of different catering modes on student behaviour, providing insights for colleges to implement strategies to reduce food waste on campus. Although the study's scope was limited due to the sample size, the results can inform the development of educational curricula and community programmes focused on food waste mitigation in canteens, though it is important to note that these findings may not represent all Chinese students.

I endorse the effort of researchers to engage in offline data collection methods and administer questionnaires to college students without relying on media or social media platforms, as such reliance can introduce bias into the study outcomes. This aspect contributes significantly to the overall rigour and validity of the research.

As I read the text of the article, I noticed some aspects that could be improved. These minor revisions are of minor significance only for consideration.

These aspects (suggesting minor revisions or considerations) are as follows:

-          Literature review: The literature to which the authors refer should be more critical and less narrative. You can show that some specific studies would show better results using the methodologies discussed or any other method / model in your review. How the research results described current situation of food waste behaviour among students or other social groups in other Asian countries?

-          There are several barriers that students face in terms of food waste mitigation behaviour in their daily lives, e.g., when on campuses, citing Truman et al. who highlighted various barriers such as knowledge, attitudes, skills, resources, and environmental conditions. Another survey by Hafiz, AA, Gallagher, AM, Devine, L, Hill, AJ. (2023) outlined four barriers faced by university students when it comes to food waste mitigation behaviours: their physical environment, university lifestyle, personal considerations, and self-confidence. Could you maybe consider those in the discussion with your outcomes?

-          In the Research Methodology section, the inclusion of students in the research sample raises questions about ethical principles. How were the consent and participation agreements managed, particularly considering the age of the participants? Were all participants adults or were minors involved? If minors were involved, were parental consent and supervision ensured during data collection? These details should be addressed in the Research Methodology section.

-          Regarding subjective norms, it is worth exploring how religiosity and upbringing by parents and grandparents may impact the other variables within the model. This could potentially also serve as a limitation of the study.

Editorial changes:

-          The article requires some touch of editing.

-          Double-check the grammar and syntax of sentences. When reading the article, one has the impression that due to stylistic errors, the article loses its flow.

-          The abstract exceeds the recommended length and should be shortened accordingly.

-Top of Form

Author Response

Thank you for your valuable comments, which can significantly improve the readability and scientific value of this article. Please see the attachment for detailed responses.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf