How lenient is lenient enough? Return policies for near-expired foods require extra compensation

The consumption of near-expired foods holds substantial potential for reducing food waste, yet consumers frequently reject them because they evoke a loss of control over product quality and transaction outcomes. Drawing on compensatory control theory, this research examines how return policies serve as post-purchase institutional mechanisms that restore perceived control, thereby reshaping quality evaluations and increasing purchase intentions. Across five experiments, supplemented by four additional experiments, we show that both lenient and effort-strict return policies can provide effective control compensation in the context of near-expired foods. Perceived quality mediates these effects, and product type (taste-oriented vs. health-oriented) further moderates them: for taste-oriented products, only lenient return policies offer sufficient compensation, whereas for health-oriented products, both lenient and effort-strict policies are effective. These findings highlight the role of post-purchase control restoration and offer actionable guidance for designing return policies that promote the acceptance of near-expired foods.

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