The status signaling function of wasting food

Food waste is omnipresent, with well-documented and devastating environmental consequences. Yet the social consequences for consumers who waste food remain unclear. Five experimental studies (two preregistered; N = 1368) consistently reveal that wasting food increases perceived financial status but also decreases social status. That is, observers assign less social status to consumers who waste food, because observers think this individual cares less about others. This diminished social status perception in turn creates relevant disadvantages for social interactions and further downstream consequences. These findings provide new insights into unconsidered antecedents and potential interventions to reduce food waste.