Abstract/Summary

With globalisation, consumer food preferences are shifting from home-cooked meals to ready-to-eat foods, leading to various health issues, including obesity. This study aims to examine the attitudes of young adults living in the United Kingdom towards fast food products (particularly a prominent international fast food chain) and their views on the health effects of these foods. Although many studies have been conducted on fast food products, relatively few have specifically focused on an international fast food chain. Additionally, there is a lack of sufficient research in the literature regarding fast food-related waste. This research will also explore young adults’ attitudes towards food waste resulting from fast food consumption. An online survey was conducted with a total of 104 young adult participants, aged 18 to 36, who met the study criteria and were selected using a ‘convenience sampling’ method. The study revealed that an international fast food chain is the most preferred fast food restaurant brand among young adults compared to other fast food restaurants. While the majority of young adult participants believe that fast food has harmful effects on health, they still prefer these foods for reasons such as fast service, affordability, and widespread availability. When investigating food waste, more than half of the male and female participants indicated that they take home food they could not finish at restaurants and consume it later. Although many alternatives are available for managing food waste, some participants expressed the belief that such food should be thrown away.