Supermarkets not meeting shoppers’ sustainability expectations, Rubikloud

Green retail

10 Oct

Consumers believe that British supermarkets’ are not doing enough to go green, particularly around food and packaging waste, according to a report from Rubikloud.

The company surveyed more than 3,000 European shoppers. 81% said it was important that retailers and manufacturers reduce the amount of food and packaging waste, which ends up in landfill and oceans, in the next three years.

68% of UK shoppers indicated there was no place for supermarkets who refuse to address sustainability. 71% of consumers think large supermarket groups should be legally required to produce annual reports on their food and packaging waste, with 40% saying there should be fines for those who fail to cut their waste levels.

Shoppers also identified technology as crucial to finding a solution, with 56% saying the most technologically advanced supermarkets will succeed in reducing waste. Two-fifths indicated supermarkets need to improve their stock forecasting capabilities and more than 50% said supermarkets should offer fewer price promotions (such as buy one, get one free).

“The environmental impact of food loss and packaging waste is a critical global issue,” says Kerry Liu, Co-Founder and CEO, Rubikloud. “Retailers have long been challenged with the inefficiencies in their supply chains and promotional strategies, which lead to the product overstock and shrink that is a key consumer concern. AI and machine learning has the power to help supermarkets be better environmental stewards and reduce waste by providing them with actionable insights and improved forecasting.”