The fight against food waste

Aware of their responsibility in food waste, consumers expect more involvement from brands on this subject.

Indeed, consumers are more and more aware of food waste, 72% of them are aware of their food waste, compared to 33% before 2020. The search for ways to extend the shelf life of their food has increased by 80% in one year, for reasons of economy (56%), world hunger (52%) and climate change (51%). While they admit their responsibility for food waste, 61% feel that food manufacturers and retailers are not helping them to Tackle the problem and 57% are disappointed that brands are not doing enough to address the issue. Although manufacturers claim to support consumers with terms such as "best before", « expiry date", etc., the initiatives are not sufficient, as only 39% of respondents say they are satisfied with the clarity of this information. The majority expect brands to be more involved in product innovation, packaging and labels with more technology. The report indicates that retailers and food manufacturers have a card to play in this area. Indeed, 91% of respondents say they are willing to buy from brands that communicate about food waste and 58% will increase their spendings with companies that take action against food waste.

The report recommends a three step strategy: involve consumers and employees in anti-waste initiatives (educate and raise awareness); collaborate across the value chain (order forecasting, inventory management, data shared); and monitor and define metrics (set targets and use the right tools to measure progress in reducing waste).