Consumers show a preference for food that is fully or partially made from ingredients that would otherwise be wasted, according to research conducted by VU scientist Anna de Visser-Amundson. Despite consumers' enthusiasm for "rescue-based food," selling it effectively poses challenges. De Visser-Amundson's research indicates that marketers are partially responsible for these difficulties. "Marketers often associate rescue-based food with waste and attempt to convince consumers that 'waste is delicious,' which is not the right approach."
According to de Visser-Amundson, the preference for rescue-based food can be explained by people's desire to make a positive contribution to the world. However, the researcher notes a negative effect when there is a link with waste or when the rescued ingredients are highly visible. “An example from the research involves the presentation of 'ugly' pumpkins (damaged by summer hail) on a restaurant buffet. Despite attracting much attention, consumers were more likely to buy pumpkins when they were not prominently visible, such as being part of a wrap. This underscores the importance of presenting and promoting rescue-based food in a way that aligns with consumers' desire to act socially responsibly, without triggering negative associations with waste, aversion, or even disgust”, de Visser-Amundson explains.
Not emphasizing waste reduction
De Visser-Amundson also emphasizes that effective marketing strategies should not directly encourage consumers to reduce food waste at home. "People dislike being told what to do, and many campaigns tell people to 'stop wasting food.' Since almost everyone claims not to waste food at an individual level, these campaigns are not very effective." De Visser-Amundson advocates for understanding how consumers handle their food after consumption and recognizes the need for diverse strategies to prevent food waste, tailored to different consumer needs. "The follow-up research from this project focuses on identifying self-initiated strategies and how to respond to them," concludes de Visser-Amundson.