The effect of perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy on generation Z restaurant customers’ food waste reduction intentions

Purpose This study aims to (1) test the effects of Generation Z (Gen Z) customers’ perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy toward food waste reduction on their food waste reduction intentions in restaurants, (2) examine the mediating role of customers’ self-efficacy in conveying their perceived collective efficacy for food waste reduction intentions and (3) explore the moderating roles of Gen Z restaurant customers’ interdependent self-construal and independent self-construal. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from an online survey distributed to Gen Z restaurant customers in China in April and May of 2022. The snowball sampling approach was used to collect the data, and the final sample included 214 participants. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was applied to examine the hypotheses. Findings The study found that Gen Z restaurant customers’ perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy toward food waste reduction were positively related to their food waste reduction intentions. Self-efficacy also played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived collective efficacy and food waste reduction intentions. Moreover, Gen Z restaurant customers’ interdependent self-construal negatively moderated the relationship between perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on social cognitive theory, self-construal theory and customers’ ethical decision-making processes. It integrates Gen Z restaurant customers’ perceived collective efficacy and self-efficacy toward food waste reduction into the ethical decision-making process and investigates how the two types of efficacy determine food waste reduction intentions.