Abstract
This study examines how cultural traits influence the effectiveness of persuasive messaging in reducing food waste in upscale hotel settings. A nine-week field experiment was conducted in two culturally distinct countries - Italy (representing a collectivist society) and Australia (representing an individualist society). The intervention tested two persuasive message frames displayed at the croissant buffet: a loss-framed, self-benefit message focusing on health consequences, and a gain-framed, other-benefit message emphasizing environmental protection. A control (no message) condition was also used. Daily food waste data were collected by hotel staff in both locations across 63 measurement days per site, enabling a robust and naturalistic comparison. In total, the field experiment captured over 1,100 individual food waste observations. To triangulate the findings and enrich the behavioral data, a follow-up survey on environmental awareness was administered at both sites, yielding 137 valid responses in Italy and 48 in Australia. Results indicate that the gain-framed message was significantly more effective in Italy, reinforcing that collectivist societies respond more positively to pro-social appeals. Interestingly, the loss-framed message was also more effective in Italy than in Australia, challenging conventional expectations and suggesting that self-benefit messaging can still resonate in collectivist cultures under certain conditions. These findings provide valuable insights for hospitality practitioners seeking to implement culturally tailored nudging interventions that reduce food waste while aligning with local values and behavioral drivers.