Consumer awareness around food waste has more than doubled in the past two years as rising food prices, supply chain challenges, and sustainability concerns start to impact customer behaviour.
According to a report by Capgemini’s Research Institute, 72% of consumers are aware of their food wastage compared to only 33% of consumers before 2020.
The report in question surveyed 10,000 consumers and executives from 1,000 large organisations in food manufacturing and retail.
According to the new report, consumers are already looking into ways to reduce their food waste. There has been an 80% surge in social media searches for methods to increase the life of food items. Cost savings, concerns around world hunger, and climate change are the primary reasons contributing to this.
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They also perceive that retailers and food manufacturers aren’t doing enough to help them curb the issue. Nearly two-thirds (61%) of consumers want brands and retailers to do more to help them tackle food waste, and 57% are disappointed as they feel that businesses don’t care enough.
As consumer awareness around the issue of food waste grows, food retailers and manufacturers must take action to win consumer confidence, cites the report. 91% of consumers say that they are willing to buy from brands and retailers that disclose information on their food waste, while 58% will increase their spend with companies taking active steps to manage food waste.
Capgemini global sector lead of consumer products, retail and distribution, Tim Bridges, said: “The increased awareness amongst consumers and the initiatives being taken by businesses to tackle food waste is a positive step forward.”
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