Food Redistribution App’s Potential for Culturally Aligned Waste Reduction in Jordan Leveraging Digital Tools for Food Waste Reduction: Assessing the Viability and Cultural Alignment of a Redistribution App in Jordanian Households

Introduction: Food waste refers to the discarding of food resulting from spoilage due to poor planning regarding food preparation, storage, reuse, or management. This comparative analysis identifies the main factors of food waste at the household level and discusses the effectiveness of food waste reduction strategies (Traditional methods vs a Proposed mobile application). Method: We investigate the food waste practices of the households through a distributed questionnaire. The questionnaire was administrated from 28/04 to 29/06, and it was first conducted as a pilot study through in-person interview, then we distributed it as a hard copy and later made available as a digital questionnaire with QR code to increase the sample size. Questions 1&2 were designed to determine the respondent’s age and the gender of the responder and questions 3 to11 investigated the food waste practices and the drivers behind them. Finally, questions 12, 13 and 14 introduced the idea of the food redistribution app as an innovative solution to the problem and evaluated the acceptance degree of such an idea. The survey employed a three-phase data collection approach. Phase 1 involved small-scale face-to-face interviews, Phase 2 used digital dissemination (QR codes via social media, print, and public displays), and Phase 3 combined in-person intercepts with digital questionnaires. The hybrid method (Phase 3) proved most effective, achieving a 90% response rate by balancing personal engagement with flexible completion, and thus outperforming the purely digital or in-person phases. Results: The study's findings, gathered from 77 respondents, demonstrate significant potential for food waste apps in Jordan, revealing that 50% of respondents already engage in food redistribution through cultural and religious practices, highlighting a strong foundation for adoption. While 57% of participants indicated a willingness to use such an app which is a higher acceptance rate than some European benchmarks. Notably, respondents primarily valued the app's potential to reduce waste rather than to save money or protect the environment, underscoring its role in raising awareness. Jordan's unique advantages, including high digital literacy, potential for tax incentives, and opportunities for premium partnerships (e.g., with restaurants like Abu Jbara), position it favorably to overcome logistical and behavioral barriers observed in failed regional models, thereby paving the way for effective implementation. Discussion: The findings suggest that food waste apps in Jordan could be effective in both reducing waste and raising awareness, particularly when aligned with cultural and religious values that already promote food sharing. The high acceptance rate compared to European benchmarks indicates a strong competitive opportunity in the regional market and high potential for adoption. However, the study also reveals critical implementation barriers, including vendor profitability concerns and public misconceptions about surplus, food quality and hygiene. These challenges could be mitigated through targeted strategies such as government tax incentives for participating in businesses and public education campaigns to clarify the distinction between surplus and leftovers, also, partnerships with elite business partners to overcome these challenges. Jordan's advanced digital infrastructure and the potential for premium partnerships (e.g., with renowned restaurants) further strengthen the case for successful implementation. Future research should explore the long-term behavioral impacts of such apps and the effectiveness of different incentive structures for vendor participation.