It is no secret that food waste is a growing problem, doubling per person over the last 40 years. Today, up to 40 percent of the available food supply is not consumed, sending approximately 133 billion pounds of food to the landfill and costing Americans the equivalent of $161 billion each year, according to Department of Agriculture figures. Fortunately, as a recent Mintel study shows, consumers are taking notice, with a majority stating they are concerned or very concerned about the amount of food wasted.
Packaging plays a vital role in addressing food waste challenges, and consumers have shown a preference for packaging options that can prevent food from going bad. In fact, the Mintel study shows that a majority of consumers claim they would even pay more for packaging with features such as resealability or portion control.