Identifying Priority Behavior Change Solutions to Key Drivers of Household Food Waste in the United States

This Report is part of Fighting Food Loss and Waste within Food and Food Loss and Waste. Reach out to Stacy Blondin for more information.

If current trends continue, global food waste at the consumer stage will double by 2050. Drawing on innovative methodology, this report identifies the key behavioral drivers of food waste in the US and matches them with practical, scalable solutions. Notably, forgetting or losing of track of food, not knowing what to do with food, making too much food, and being too busy or not having enough time were identified as leading drivers of household food waste in the US. Findings highlight how shortfalls in consumers' opportunity and ability to reduce waste influence behavior, and stress the importance of targeted interventions that can shift behavior at scale. Finally, a call to action is issued for retailers, policymakers, and civil society to adopt already available solutions and innovate to create novel approaches. By advancing evidence-based strategies and strengthening partnerships, stakeholders can reduce waste, lower emissions, save households money, and accelerate progress toward national and global food system goals.

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