BRIDGING POLICY AND BEHAVIOR: AN INTEGRATED FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE THAI RESTAURANT INDUSTRY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/aisr.2025.36Keywords:
Sustainable Food Waste Management, Restaurant Policy Framework, Theory of Planned Behavior, Policy Cycle Model, Circular Economy AdoptionAbstract
Food waste in the restaurant sector poses a critical challenge to sustainable development in Thailand, yet comprehensive mechanisms that integrate policy and behavioral dimensions remain underexplored. This study investigates the determinants of effective food waste management and proposes policy-oriented guidelines for the Thai restaurant industry. Adopting a systematic literature review approach, the research develops an integrated conceptual framework combining the Policy Cycle Model and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to analyze the complex interplay between regulations and operator actions. The analysis reveals that operator awareness, consumer behavior, and regulatory clarity are pivotal drivers of waste management strategies, which in turn enhance policy adoption and business sustainability. The study identifies significant gaps in current legislation and highlights the need for active stakeholder engagement to ensure policy effectiveness. Key recommendations include implementing tax incentives, supporting digital waste-tracking technologies, and establishing standardized certification systems. Furthermore, the framework emphasizes fostering collaboration across government, private, and community sectors to transition from passive compliance to proactive sustainability. These findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and business operators, providing a strategic roadmap to mitigate food waste and align local restaurant practices with global sustainability goals.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Areerat RATANAKITKOSON, Siriwan PANUSNACHEE, Chanyaphak LALAENG
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