News

Dutch initiative to reduce supermarket waste claims ongoing success

6 Nov 2024

Food waste in Dutch supermarkets continued to fall, registering a total reduction of 35% since monitoring was introduced by the Food Waste Free United Foundation and the Wageningen University & Research in 2018.

Dutch initiative to reduce supermarket waste claims ongoing success
© iStock/NVS

According to the latest annual report, supermarkets self-reported that food waste was reduced by a further 0.9% in procurement volume during 2023, showing that although larger reductions were made in previous years, improvements are still being made thanks to the Netherlands government-backed initiative.

Ingredients Network spoke to Martijntje Vollebregt, researcher on sustainable food processing at Wageningen University & Research (WUR), to find out more about the strategies supermarkets have been developing to make the improvements.

Discounting products close to their sell-by date

Vollebregt pointed out that one of the most successful measures has been to pre-empt the sell-by dates of perishable products by discounting them, instead of simply taking them off the shelf once the sell-by date is reached.

“The supermarkets have different ways to still offer these products to customers, it can be the regular shelf, or a special food waste cabinet and/or grouped into a bag, with a sales tag such as ‘Too Good To Go’. In the Netherlands, reduced pricing is actively applied for products with a short shelf life, and on bread,” Vollebregt said.

“This requires a strategic decision by supermarkets, necessitating a modified way of working in the supermarket outlets, infrastructure, communication on supermarkets magazine, etc. Of course, this also requires active shelf management in the outlets. Furthermore, supermarkets invest in new data tools to improve the match between forecast and sales.”

Supply chain efficiencies and shelf-life extension can also make the difference

Making improvements to the supply chain can also make a significant difference. Enhanced supply chain efficiencies can reduce the delivery times between the manufacturer and products arriving on store shelves, a particular boon for perishable goods.

Vollebregt explained that while short transportation times and adequate storage conditions are important factors in successful supply chain and in-store management, innovations in shelf-life extensions are equally as important, as they can also contribute to waste reduction.

AI technology is another innovation coming into play and assisting supermarkets in becoming more efficient. Marc Jansen, general director of the Dutch Food Retail Association, points to how AI is being used to improve the match between supply and demand, which is also spelling opportunities for upcycling food, like pasta sauce from leftover tomatoes.

While supermarket-led initiatives do require a significant investment of time and resources by the retailers, Vollebregt also explained that these strategies are easily transferable and could be adopted by supermarket chains in most parts of the world.

The aims of the programme in the future

Moving forward, the activities of the Food Waste Free United Foundation are designed to continue to help cut back on supermarket food waste as much as possible in the future.

“Our activities will continue over the coming years, aiming to contribute to significant food waste reduction,” said Vollebregt. “The Foundation’s activities include monitoring of food waste - including an update with the Dutch retailers in the coming years, stimulating solutions for businesses, reduction of food waste in households, and obtaining insights into which factors in legislation and agreements hamper food waste reduction.”

While Vollebregt pointed to cooperation on supply chain efficiencies between both suppliers and supermarkets becoming increasingly important in the future, she added that successfully tackling the problem of food waste is a multifaceted issue with many dimensions and a wide spectrum of solutions.

“Food waste comes with a multidimensional footprint that includes both the economy and the environment. Taking this into account, food waste reduction for products with a large environmental impact is of extra relevance,” Vollebregt said.

Related news

Value is a top priority for today’s F&B consumers

Value is a top priority for today’s F&B consumers

3 Apr 2025

Research from global consultancy Hartman Group suggests there are six core values that brands must tap into to connect with consumers’ needs.

Read more 
Lidl GB debuts on TikTok Shop with high-protein foods promotion

Lidl GB debuts on TikTok Shop with high-protein foods promotion

2 Apr 2025

Lidl GB has become the first UK grocery retailer to sell on TikTok Shop, with its limited edition run of high-protein bundles selling out in under 20 minutes.

Read more 
Clean-label cereals prompt fortification debate

Clean-label cereals prompt fortification debate

28 Mar 2025

Marks & Spencer has caused a stir with the launch of a range of breakfast cereals in the UK containing minimal ingredients.

Read more 
Changing global food retail environments linked to rise in obesity

Changing global food retail environments linked to rise in obesity

27 Mar 2025

Changes in retail food environments – particularly the growing prominence of large chains – are positively correlated with rising obesity prevalence, a study suggests.

Read more 
Future F&B flavours favour exploration and explosive taste profiles

Future F&B flavours favour exploration and explosive taste profiles

25 Mar 2025

Exploration and experimentation will define the future of flavour, according to Mintel, as consumers seek out taste profiles and textures that offer an adventurous eating experience.

Read more 
Global consumers enjoy food less and perceive it as less healthy

Global consumers enjoy food less and perceive it as less healthy

20 Mar 2025

Enjoyment of food and its perceived healthiness is dwindling among most global populations, according to findings from Gallup and Ando Foundation/Nissin Food Products.

Read more 
Plans to abandon mandatory Nutri-Score labelling ‘would be a step back’

Plans to abandon mandatory Nutri-Score labelling ‘would be a step back’

17 Mar 2025

Critics have slammed reports that mandatory Nutri-Score labelling is to be abandoned as “a step back” that puts citizens’ health at risk.

Read more 
Food companies urged to bring ‘joy’ and urgency to healthy food mission

Food companies urged to bring ‘joy’ and urgency to healthy food mission

14 Mar 2025

For too long, businesses have treated health and sustainability as separate agendas – but there is growing evidence to show diets that benefit human health can also enhance that of the planet, say experts.

Read more 
HFSS product placement regulation hits unhealthy food displays

HFSS product placement regulation hits unhealthy food displays

6 Mar 2025

The proportion of space used to display HFSS foods in UK supermarkets fell following the introduction of regulations restricting the location of product promotions, research shows.

Read more 
Smaller snack sizes represent big growth opportunity for PepsiCo

Smaller snack sizes represent big growth opportunity for PepsiCo

5 Mar 2025

Brands are responding to consumer demand for healthier products by developing classic snacks in smaller portion sizes, meaning fewer calories, lower sodium, and lower fat.

Read more