Despite a growing demand from shoppers to cut down on food waste, just 14% say that they fully trust claims of sustainable products and packaging from grocery stores.

According to a survey of more than 2,100 U.S. and U.K. shoppers from retailer platform RELEX Solutions, 74% of consumers say that they would switch from their current supermarket to one that publicly commits to and actively reports on food waste reduction. Another 78% want stronger regulations to hold brands accountable for food waste, while one in every three "actively distrusts" claims of sustainability from stores.

“Today’s consumers can spot greenwashing from a mile away,” RELEX head of sustainability Svante Göthe said in an April 25 release. "They’re not looking for perfection, they’re looking for proof. Retailers that communicate with transparency, and show how they’re making a measurable difference have a real opportunity to earn long-term loyalty."

In the U.K., nearly half of shoppers place the primary responsibility to limit food waste on supermarkets. In the U.S., 51% see themselves as the ones who are most responsible for cutting household food waste, although 48% still want action at the federal level, along with 31% who prefer state-level mandates. RELEX also found that 45% of self-described "structured shoppers" who buy food based on carefully planned meals throw away food because they overestimate portions, revealing a "missed opportunity for retailers to offer better planning tools, flexible pack sizes, and more responsive inventory strategies." 

According to food waste reduction nonprofit ReFED, the U.S. generated nearly 74 million tons of surplus food in 2023, 35% of which either ended up in landfills or was incinerated as waste. More than half of that waste was due to concerns or confusion over freshness date labels. But, contrary to the belief that shoppers tend to avoid products with impending expiration dates, RELEX found that 58% of U.S. consumers actually actively seek them out, while 93% believe that such items should be discounted by stores, particularly as a means to ensure that food doesn't go to waste spoiling on grocery shelves.