Design-Driven Approaches to Minimize Domestic Organic Food Loss—A Case Study

This case study from Chiba, Japan, yields critical insights into consumer behavior and strategies for reducing food waste, advocating for an integrated approach. It introduces an ‘Information Purchased Food’ (IPF) system paired with a smartphone application tailored for household food management. Features include meal planning, expiration alerts, and waste tracking to promote reduction through technology. The study emphasizes cultural content adaptation and the importance of educational programs in enhancing waste reduction. A survey utilizing methods was conducted among Tokyo and Chiba City residents, highlighting diverse environmental policies. From December 2022 to January 2023, data were collected from 345 residents, aged 18–85, with a gender distribution of 48.8% male and 51.3% female. This research underscores technology’s critical role in addressing food waste, which carries significant environmental and economic implications, and examines the integration of behavioral incentives and user feedback to refine the system's effectiveness.