Asda promotes food waste savings

Asda has become the first grocer to detail the savings customers can gain from efforts to reduce food waste. As part of a campaign in partnership with the University of Leeds, Asda said customers saved £57 a year by committing to cutting food waste in their homes.

The multi-channel campaign provides advice on food storage and labeling, recipe inspiration for leftovers, and other steps to reduce the amount of food from being thrown out. In-store events encourage customers to pledge to make changes in their homes. Since the launch, 81 percent customers say they plan to follow the advice provided.

“We now have a greater understanding of customer attitude and behavior, helping shape the way we communicate with our customers and ultimately the way we do business,” said Asda’s Chief Customer Officer, Andy Murray, in a statement. He said Asda is also addressing food waste throughout the supply chain.

In the U.S., Walmart, which owns Asda, Whole Foods and others have likewise recently launched food waste initiatives amid heightened global concerns around the issue.

The results coincided with the publication of “Asda’s 2016 Green Britain Index,” which found 93 percent of Asda customers care about “being green.” Further, 85 percent look to retailers to help them reduce food waste at home and 72 percent admit they have stopped buying a product altogether because they found it would often go to waste.

A survey of 400 consumer goods retail and manufacturing executives from 27 countries from KPMG’s Consumer Executive Top of Mind Survey 2016, however, found that many are frustrated or jaded by ethical or eco initiatives. As detailed on foodnavigator.com, only 35 percent feel consumers are making decisions based on ethical and environment considerations. Thirty-seven percent believe the pressures around greater ethical or environmental responsibility will have more of a negative impact on their business over the next two years versus 27 percent seeing a positive impact.

• Asda customers save money by reducing food waste – University of Leeds
• Asda’s 2016 Green Britain Index – Asda
• One ‘Perfect’ Solution for Saving Ugly Apples – Walmart
• New Initiatives Taking a Bite out of Food Waste – Walmart
• Whole Foods plans to buy funny looking fruits and veggies – RetailWire
• Win a limited edition ‘Wonky’ Mr. Potato Head toy! – Asda
• Our popular Wonky Veg boxes are back – available in 497 Asda stores – Asda
• Food brands not quite in tune with consumers’ demands around trust and ethics – Food Navigator
• Consumer Executive Top of Mind Survey 2016 – KPMG