More than half (58.0%) of consumers in the UK are more likely to shop with a supermarket that is actively reducing its food waste, with a quarter (25.5%) saying they are “much more likely”.
This is according to a new report by Checkpoint Systems that highlights consumers are willing to act with their wallets, finding stores that are openly committing to reducing their waste.
Although consumers know they have a responsibility to reduce household waste, the study found that they are increasingly looking to retailers to take the lead. Eight in 10 (82.7%) believe that supermarkets could be doing more to reduce food waste, including better management of use-by-dates (47.7%); working with suppliers to reduce food waste across the supply chain (43.7%); and marking down (reducing) products earlier (41.1%).
Among the tactics noted by respondents, marking down products nearing their use-by dates is a proven method for retailers in their effort to reduce food waste. It enables stores to reduce the item rather than having to discard it.
The report revealed that a third of UK consumers are visiting supermarkets specifically to look for reduced items, with more shoppers this year actively looking for marked-down items.
Across the country, just one in 10 shoppers say they never look for reduced items in store. Of the remaining 91%, two-fifths are actively looking for bargains, seeking out reduced items more this year compared to 2020.
Checkpoint noted that discounting food items with a short sell-by date recoups just 0.75% of the 4% revenue loss that comes from food shrinkage and waste. In the already highly competitive grocery sector, where retailers have typically slim margins, discounted or unsold food items present a major challenge.
According to the research, two-thirds of consumers said that there is no limitation to what they would purchase when it came to marked down products. Just one in 10 claimed they wouldn’t buy certain products – mostly meat and seafood.
To manage sell-by dates on perishable goods, Checkpoint said retailers are required to have a total view of their inventory at any given time. Here, inventory accuracy not only ensures brand owners can have a complete view of all merchandise and its location within the supply chain, but reduce lost sales and improve efficiency.
Mike French, Business Unit Director, Checkpoint Systems UK, commented: “Consumers hold themselves, as much as retailers, responsible for reducing food waste, but it is clear that they want retailers to do more. Supermarkets have done fantastic work with charities to ensure more is redistributed, but they need to better manage their stock to ensure they can sell items rather than have to throw them away.
“It is clear that shoppers are more than willing to purchase marked-down produce. As long as retailers have effective solutions in place to identify when items are nearing their end-of-life they can quickly rotate the stock, reduce the price if necessary and ensure it doesn’t get discarded at the end of the day.”
