Kroger offers food waste-reduction resources for shoppers
Kroger is highlighting the resources it offers in order to help consumers reduce food waste and deliver on its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste goals. The company noted that a recent national survey from its data analytics arm 84.51 has found that families are focused on reducing food waste, with 3 in 4 saying they eat meals prepared at home multiple times per day and 35% strongly agreeing that they have grown more conscious of food waste.
"The past several months have demonstrated just how much meals matter, especially when they're prepared and enjoyed with family and friends," said Keith Dailey, Kroger's group vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer. "As customers continue to rediscover their passion for making food and gathering around the dinner table, Kroger will be there to provide food inspiration and easy ways to join our mission to create a world with zero hunger and zero waste."
Two of the company’s efforts are focused on its private label offerings. The retailer recently rolled out the Simple Truth Recycling Program in partnership with Terracycle, which allows for customers to recycle flexible packaging from its Simple Truth owned brand at home. Additionally, Kroger said that it has aligned with its manufacturing plants and co-packing suppliers to ensure that all of its private label items feature simpler date labels, noting that nearly half of those surveyed said the biggest cause of food waste during the pandemic has been food expiration.
Long-standing efforts include the Round Up for the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Foundation effort, as well as online resources on fridge organization, meal prep and waste-free recipes. Kroger offers in-store plastic film recycling as well.
The retailer also has received 1 major supplier to commit to its 10x20x30 initiative, committing to engage at least 20 suppliers in an approach to halve food loss and waste by 2030. This is in addition to Kroger’s goal of reaching zero food waste in its grocery operation by 2025. In the past two years, the company said it has reduced total food waste generated in stores by 13%.
The following companies have committed to a 50% reduction target in their own operations, to measure and publish their food loss and waste inventories and to create strategies for waste reduction:
- Amy's;
- Chobani;
- Clif Bar ;
- Danone North America;
- Dayka & Hackett;
- Driscoll's;
- Flowers Foods;
- Grimmway Farms;
- High Liner Foods;
- Hormel Foods;
- Impossible Foods;
- Pacific Coast Producers;
- Rich Products;
- Taylor Farms;
- Tillamook County Creamery Association; and
- Unilever,
"Kroger's Zero Hunger | Zero Waste plan includes ambitious goals that require partnership, collaboration and innovation," Dailey said. "We're proud to partner with these leading suppliers that are committed to bold action, and we encourage other producers and CPG brands to join us. It will take all of our collective action to realize our vision of a future free of hunger and waste."