This project explores the sociological dimensions of food waste at the consumption stage, focusing on Kunming, a mid-sized, multi-ethnic city in Southwest China. Based on nine months of multi-sited ethnography, a two-week photographic diary, and in-situ interviews with 44 participants from 29 middle-class households, it examines how Kunming consumers manage food practices and waste. Drawing on gender and intersectionality (Collins & Bilge, 2020), actor-network theory (Callon, 1999; Latour, 2005), and social practice theories (Shove et al., 2012), alongside Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and distinction (1991), the study investigates how intersecting social identities, human actors, non-human mediators, and various dining spaces, influence Kunming middle-class consumers’ evaluation of food as food waste, and their food consumption and food waste disposals. 

The findings revealed that the intersectionality of gender, generation, and ethnicity shapes diverse perceptions and knowledge about food and waste, values of sustainability or thriftiness rooted in varying historical and social contexts, as well as varying practices of food consumption and waste management. Beyond social identity, non-human actors and materiality, such as the sensory qualities of food, packaging, and infrastructure like refrigerators or composting tools, emerge as influential agents shaping consumers’ evaluations, decisions, and actions. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of dining spaces, including restaurants, canteens, and homes, in mediating food-related practices. These environments shape how Kunming consumers balance cultural and dietary needs with food waste management strategies, revealing the interplay of social, material, and spatial factors in sustainable consumption practices.