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The food supply chain is responsible for 30% of man-made greenhouse gas emissions. This environmental damage not only has a major impact on the natural environment but also leads to a gradual depletion of natural resources and affects our food production. If we cannot produce enough food, the problems outweigh rising food costs, food scarcity and unsustainable ecosystems. Yet more than 40% of the world's food is thrown away each year - 10 million tonnes of food are thrown away in the UK each year, which equates to 6.5 million meals and could provide 10 meals per year for every citizen. The largest amount of food waste is at the consumption stage (14.7%).
To gain a better understanding of the food system, I interviewed various experts in the food supply chain and consumers. Working with target users and retail staff, we co-created and tested a prototype of the service, identified key behavioural trigger points and designed a new customer journey.
I finally chose how to work with retail to help consumers re-establish their relationship with food and foster new consumer behaviours for a sustainable food future, considering the investment costs and the premise of the current retail model.
They stated that the future sustainable food system needs to focus on transparency, traceability, and sustainability. When it comes to food waste, retailers have more power and responsibility than consumers. Providing consumers with effective information about food is what will enable them to make better choices.
The greater the consumers' ability to recognize food's value, the more conscious they will be of their consumption and the less food they will waste.
I then spent time interviewing various consumers, collaborating to understand their needs and barriers, and I targeted a group of pioneer users who are focused on sustainable consumption and demand to buy food that also meets health needs, is environmentally friendly, and is affordable.
However, the lack of visibility of the environmental impact of food, as well as a lack of sustainable options, made this decision difficult for them.
