The retail food sector is increasingly considering the viability of zero-waste stores in an effort to reduce the United States’ annual 8 million tons of food waste.
According to nonprofit ReFed, an organization dedicated to fighting food waste in the U.S., food packaging is a major culprit of landfill waste, including shipping boxes, cellophane wrapping and plastic grocery bags. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates food containers and packaging represent 23 percent of all waste in landfills, and it also has a vast negative impact on oceanic wildlife. Wasted unsold food is another issue Redfed highlights, calculating that the retail sector wastes $18.2 billion worth of food each year.
Kroger (Cincinnati) launched a campaign last year to eliminate all food waste in its stores by 2025, including an announcement earlier this year to cease the use of plastic shopping bags in all of its stores within that timeframe. Many small retailers have already begun a push to reduce waste and create innovative solutions for eliminating all packaging in store.
ReFed Executive Director Chris Cochran told CNBC, “Food waste has now emerged among the top priorities at the CFO level.”