Aligning health and wellness with tackling food waste interview with Mike Hughes, Head of Research and Insight, FMCG Gurus Manufacturers are under increasing pressure to address the issue of food waste. Mike Hughes, Head of Research and Insight at FMCG Gurus, discusses how this trend is driving the upcycling of ingredients and the shortening of supply chains, and how this is creating new product opportunities. Environmental concerns have ramped up significantly in recent years, with tangible evidence of climate change – freak floods, intense heatwaves, and unseasonable weather – amassing. Consumers increasingly link the state of the planet to their own wellbeing, underlining the belief that a healthy planet equals a healthy person. Mike Hughes Head of Research and Insight FMCG Gurus
“This has only increased since the COVID-19 epidemic,” explains Hughes. “Citizens look at the state of the planet and ask whether environmental degradation contributed to the spread of the virus.”
This is influencing consumer consumption habits, though often in modest ways. Consumers for example are looking to take home a little less plastic packaging, purchase more products from local stores and markets, and make more meals that are based around freshly bought produce. “I think we can get caught up a little in current trends,” says Hughes. “Yes, people are buying more plantbased products, but when addressing the environment, they are more likely to try to be resourceful, rather than making fundamental changes to their diets. They are more likely to avoid unnecessary food waste and seek out alternatives, over eliminating meat or dairy from their diets completely.” Linked to this is the issue of food waste. Buying specific ingredients from a local market often means less food is thrown away. Many people have had to tighten their belts during the pandemic, which means that reducing food waste is a financial issue as well.
Boosting green credentials Critically, such growing environmental consciousness has put more pressure on businesses to take the lead. Citizens no longer think that acting responsibly should be left up to individuals alone. “Brands have to demonstrate their green credentials,” notes Hughes. “This will soon be more important than heritage.” The issue of brands and food outlets throwing away perfectly good food has been brought sharply into focus in recent years.
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