Ugly produce: the problem and solution to food waste?

The problem

Food waste is a global issue with major environmental, social and financial implications. While millions face uncertainty as to their next meal, including 50 million Americans who live in households that qualify as ‘food insecure’, close to 1 billion tons of edible food go to waste globally – 61 per cent of this at the domestic level. So, what is driving this food waste? To flip such an illogical situation, we need to understand this.

The research

Dr Fang-Chi Lu and her colleagues have been investigating the factors that lead to food waste, identifying one as ‘imperfect produce’ – defined as foods that are non-uniform in shape, colour, or texture. The team then carried out four online studies with nearly 1400 U.S. respondents to understand why people are averse to buying ‘ugly’ produce, testing political ideology as a moderator of this aversion, in light of an observed link between rising food insecurity and political divisions. Politically conservative people, they found, are less likely to purchase imperfect fruits and vegetables compared to politically liberal people, tied to conservatives being less open to new experiences.

The impact

The findings contribute to the burgeoning research on the influence of political ideology on food choices and provide the first empirical evidence on its impact on imperfect produce. At a practical level, understanding that ‘mindset’ influences consumption of imperfect foods is relevant to marketers – who might focus on people more likely to be open to imperfect food instead of wasting time and money on those who wouldn't, or seek new ways to promote this produce to less likely buyers. The research is young. A systematic inquiry is needed to alleviate human suffering and enhance sustainability. The findings nonetheless point to possible pathways towards less food waste.

Department: Management and Marketing 
Area: Food waste, political ideology, sustainability, consumer choice