Abstract: Large quantities of suboptimal foods, which contain defects but are perfectly safe for consumption, are wasted. Commercializing suboptimal food has become an important strategy in reducing food waste. However, experimental outcomes regarding the effectiveness of marketing intervention strategies for suboptimal food have exhibited inconsistency. This study adopts a meta-analysis approach to review empirical research on marketing intervention strategies for suboptimal foods. It examines the effectiveness of cognitive-oriented and affective-oriented marketing intervention strategies in influencing consumer evaluations and purchase intentions towards suboptimal foods. Additionally, the study aims to identify variables that may impact the effectiveness of these strategies. In total, 32 relevant primary studies were included, comprising 94 effect sizes from 57 independent samples. The study shows that both cognitive-oriented and affective-oriented marketing intervention strategies can effectively improve consumers' positive evaluations and willingness to purchase suboptimal foods with a moderate level of efficacy. Moreover, affective-oriented strategies demonstrate a better intervention effect compared to cognitive-oriented ones. Factors such as suboptimal food characteristics, marketing features, and customer characteristics were found to moderate the effectiveness of these interventions. This study provides valuable insights for food-related enterprises and food policy makers regarding the effectiveness of marketing interventions for suboptimal foods.

Key words: suboptimal food, marketing intervention strategies, meta-analysis, cognitive orientation, affective orientation