Please note the original goal for this project was £300 but funds were processed as the project owner choose to use our flexible funding mechanism and plans to do the research with the funds successfully raised.
Background
The money being raised for this project will be used for market research through a consumer panel.
Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs) comprise the largest segment of soft drinks category in the UK and are prevalent in everyday life, routine and culture. However, research carried out by The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) in 2012 estimated that households in the UK throw away as much as 230,000 tonnes of CSDs in a year, which represents a significant waste of resources as well as a carbon footprint that is associated with the value chain. This research aims to investigate, for the first time in UK, the possible factors that lead to wastage of CSDs in the household. The study will evaluate CSD consumption at the household level using a hybrid framework which draws from the Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Social Practice Theory, during which a questionnaire will be used to record the responses of at least 200 respondents who are non-rejectors of CSDs. An econometric analysis afterwards will aim to reveal possible insights on why so much CSD is thrown away and what measures can be employed to reduce this wastage. The eventual impact, the author hopes, will be to play a small role in reducing the financial, environmental and moral impact of throwing away otherwise edible food products.
Our Goals
The research objective is to narrow down the critical factors that lead UK households to throw away fizzy drinks which amass to about 230,000 tonnes every year.
Why is this project Important?
As the impact of food waste on global warming becomes more apparent, it is becoming increasingly important to deep-dive into the behavioural aspects that lead to such waste so that we can help reduce their negative impact on the planet. Fizzy drinks carry with them a substantial carbon footprint along with unhealthy ingredients such as excessive amounts of sugar, preservatives and artificial flavours. The category is also one of the most heavily-advertised within the food and beverage sector. I feel it is important to be able to create credible awareness about the possible reasons why so much is thrown away and what can be done to reduce this.
Potential Outcomes
This is the first research that aims to deep-dive into fizzy drink wastage from UK-based households. Although this is for an MSc dissertation, it aims to investigate key factors which may be contributing towards fizzy drinks being one of the biggest sources of avoidable household waste (by weight) in the UK every year. This research has potential to provide the platform for other researchers, government and non-government officials and policy makers to bring in measures that can arrest the amount of soft drinks that are thrown away in the country every year.
Your budget
I have received various quotes from consumer panels suggesting an investment of £500 should be sufficient to receive replies from 150-200 respondents for my research. Hence I’m only looking to raise £500.
About me
I bring with me rich industrial experience of having worked in B2B and B2C roles in supply chain, sales and marketing and diverse educational experience of engineering, business management and applied economics.
My research interests lie in the application of social science in investigating, informing and improving socio-economic challenges and sustainability issues such as food insecurity, inequality and development.
My pro-bono work involves association with a number of non-profit organisations in varying capacities: as board member, co-director, social researcher and publisher.
I enjoy medium-distance running, hiking, cooking and attempting to travel around whenever I get the chance.
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Faraz Khan
£10.00 -
Anonymous
£5.00 -
Alexandra Keane
£20.00 -
Anonymous
£50.00