Household Food Consumption and Wastage during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Comparison between Peru and Brazil

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The study would be improved if the authors perform a more in-depth analysis and discussion regarding the proposed model in their article. For example, they only evaluated measurement scale reliability but did not address any form of validity - especially convergent and discriminant - specific for multi-item constructs. In addition, when constructing the regression model, were all data assumptions fulfilled? Furthermore, what type of regression building technique was used? On the multicollinearity front, were any tests performed? Also, in reference to the hypotheses associated with the Mann-Whitney test what decision rule was employed in rejecting the null hypothesis? From the text is not clear:

Intention to Reduce Waste H7 0.000* H0 is rejected - Intention to Reduce Wastage, H7. Insufficient evidence was provided to support H0. Hence, we assume that there are differences in the intentions to reduce wastage between the two countries.

Food purchase planning routines H8 0.319 H0 is not rejected. Proper Grocery Shopping Planning Routines, H8. Insufficient evidence was provided to support H0. Hence, we assume that there are no significant routine planning differences between the two countries.

Author Response

Dear reviewer.
Attached response file

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Dear Authors,

Thank you for your contribution. It was my pleasure to read your article.

The aim of the paper is to provide information on food consumption and food-wastage behaviours.

The investigation of the factors that affect such topic, however, it seem sufficient to provide an exhaustive answer to the question of looking for work.

The findings proposed provide, in fact, novel insights into the antecedents of food consumption and food – wastage behaviours. However, to improve the quality of the paper, it is necessary to add the following changes:

• Introduction

The introduction highlights the originality of the work, focusing on the factors that affect wastage patterns in Peruvian and Brazilian households. The presentation of the topics, in fact, is consistent with research questions aimed at filling the gaps identified in the literature.

The logical reasoning that led the authors to identify the research objectives is adequately explained and commented. However, in order to better clarify the aims of the work, it would be advisable to add a few lines aimed at better describing the gap in the literature from which the research questions are derived.

The theoretical overview is detailed and shows the familiarity of the authors with the issue. In fact, the authors explain the conceptual model and proposing the hypotheses. However, it would be advisable to better explain the link between literature and hypotheses proposed.

• Methodology

The methodological procedure used to address the research questions is described in an effective way. The work, in fact, allows to grasp all the aspects related to the food consumption and food wastage behaviors. However, it would be advisable to better explain the methods of composition of the analysis sample, clarifying the reasons that led the authors to choose this sample in relation to the research topic investigated.

• Results and analysis

The results obtained are interesting and are clearly commented. The work, in fact, presents the contents in a way sufficiently complete, showing the strengths and weaknesses that affect the food consumption and food wastage behaviour.

It is therefore necessary to clarify how and in what way it is possible to generalize the results of the paper also to other territorial areas.

• Discussion

The discussion of the results is argued in a way sufficiently clear, showing in a clear way how the results of the paper fit fully into the scientific debate on the food consumption and food wastage behaviour.

However, in order to improve the quality of the paper, it is necessary to better explain the impact of the factors identified on Peruvian and Brazilian households, emphasizing the innovative aspects of the food consumption and food wastage behaviour. In particular, the contribution of the characteristics of these innovative behaviour models on the equilibriums of the families under analysis should be adequately explained.

 

• Theoretical and managerial implications/ conclusion

The theoretical implications underline the originality of the research and clarify the strengths of the paper. The paper, in fact, contribute to enriching the level of knowledge on the research topic investigated, allowing to specify the levers on which both scholars and managers can act to improve the effectiveness of behaviours models of the households. However, in order to better specify the utility of the work, it would be advisable to complete the paper, presenting more clearly the real managerial and theoretical implications, useful both for management scholars and for company managers. Finally, the conclusions of the work are not clearly described.

Author Response

Dear reviewer.
Attached response file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

• Some minor spelling, grammar and punctuation editing needed.
• The paper was easy to read and well written from that standpoint.
• Very interesting premise.
• How does the discussion of COVID transmission rates and lockdown procedures lead to the discussion of food consumption and wastage (lines 62-66)? This immediate link is stated but not explained.
• The subject is dealt with later (lines 153 and following) but seems incidental to the larger idea of comparing food pattern differences between the two countries.
• The hypotheses have nothing to do with the pandemic (never mentioned), and the concept seems to be used only because the data collection occurred during this period of time.
• Sine Jribi is the basis for the methodology in your previous study of Brazil alone, why is this not further discussed here? Failing to do so leaves the reader with the idea that you had a more consequential involvement in the development of the instrument than is actually the case.
• There are some differences in the variables examined between this study and the previous study, but this paper seems to use similar methodology but different data techniques than the previous one. None of these changes is explained, however.
• For example, why did you use the specific data display technique for figures 4 through 7? How does this aid the reader more than a simple table with numbers and significance results? It appears that a fancy data visualization technique was imagined and used rather than something that an academic would find helpful. Just my observation.
• The results show that you compare the results from Brazil and Peru, but you don't really contrast them. In other words, you show the results for each country, but you could have run t-tests between the countries instead of just comparing their models. This could have produced some really significant results. Most of the hypotheses for each country are not supported, but the real differences in behavior and intentions between citizens of each country might be shown in t-tests.
• I think that simplifying the data techniques would make this a much stronger and interesting paper. Additionally, you need a stronger foundation for making this a COVID paper than is presented here. Do we believe that there are real pre-COVID and COVID behavior differences? If so, you need to be able to contrast the pre- and current behaviors and intentions.
• If you cannot do this, preface your paper with the fact that you collected this data during COVID, but leave it there. This does not really seem to be a paper on how COVID has impacted consumer behaviors even though it seems to indicate that it is.

Author Response

Dear reviewer.
Attached response file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Dear authors, I consider your work as very good prepared. I have just a few minor recommendations.

• Considering discussion: You could provide practical or managerial implications based on your findings. Maybe it could be your point of view about sustainable solution or recommendations…
• Considering discussion: You can “underline” main connections of your findings with relevant theoretical knowledge. Also you can highlight main assets of your research considering theory and practice.
• Considering research limitations – they are processed in a brief form on the very end of the manuscript. I suggest to move this section to the discussion (with a headline e.g. “Research limitations” and elaborate it more thoroughly.
• I strongly suggest to provide the whole dataset (e.g. as appendix, or online…).

Author Response

Dear reviewer.
Attached response file.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

All my observations were properly addressed. Therefore, I do not have any further comments.

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper provides useful and innovative information that justifies publication.

In fact, following the changes made, the section of the literature describes with precision and clarity the aim of the paper.

The work, infact, provides useful information on the food consumption and wastage patterns in  Peruvian and Brazilian households, effectively showing whether and how the implementing leftover management routines has provided a decisive contribution, both for management scholars and managers.

The theoretical overview is detailed and shows the familiarity of the authors with the issue.

The authors, according with the indications of the reviewers, explain the conceptual model and proposing the hypotheses. This section, in fact, clarifies areas, articulates the research gaps and develops the hypotheses for further empirical examination. The logical reasoning that leads the authors to introduce the hypothesis is adequately supported both conceptually and with references to the literature, however, in order to improve the quality of the work, it may be advisable to add the following citations:

 

• Polese, F., Troisi, O., Grimaldi, M., & Sirianni, C. (2020). Conceptualizing social change, between value co-creation and ecosystems innovation. Marketing as a Social Science: Festschrift für Universitätsprofessor Dr. Dr. hc Helge Löbler, 203.
• Ciasullo, M. V., Troisi, O., Grimaldi, M., & Leone, D. (2020). Multi-level governance for sustainable innovation in smart communities: an ecosystems approach. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 16(4), 1167-1195.
• Ciasullo, M. V., Troisi, O., & Cosimato, S. (2018). How Digital Platforms Can Trigger Cultural Value Co-Creation?—A Proposed Model. Journal of service science and management, 11(2), 161-181.

 

From a methodological point of view, following the changes made, the research design is clearly described, schematically showing the case study placed in support of the theoretical hypotheses formulated. In fact, the methodological procedure employed to address the research questions is original and well described. The work, in fact, applying a quantitative approach, allows us to grasp all the aspects related to the activity of the food consumption and wastage patterns in Peruvian and Brazilian households. In particular, on the one hand, the analysis conducted through the application of quantitative research study made it possible to verify the determinants of the the food consumption and wastage patterns in  Peruvian and Brazilian households.

Thanks to indications provided by the reviewers, the results of the work are clearly and precisely described. The results obtained are, in fact, interesting and well commented, completeness of presentation and content at work. The contribution of the methodological technique adopted is explained in a precise and rigorous way.

The implications, both theoretical and practical, are described, explaining in an exhaustive way how the work can represent a help for researchers and managers, in order to improve the management of business processes. In fact, as requested by the reviewers, the theoretical implications stress the originality of the research and promote the strengths of the manuscript.

The paper contributes, in fact, to enrich the level of knowledge on the research topic investigated, specifying the levers on which both scholars and managers can act to improve the effectiveness of the activities relating to food consumption and wastage patterns in  Peruvian and Brazilian households.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Thank you for all of the revisions that you have made since the original version of this paper.