Decades ago it was normal for people not to hesitate to throw away food that they were not going to eat, that remained in the fridge and became spoiled or that had expired. No thought was given to them and they ended up in the trash right away. However, today that reality has changed and people are asking themselves: how can they reduce food waste in the purchasing and consumption process? 

The fact is that users are more informed and aware that food loss or waste is a problem that affects us all. Not only because it generates more waste and is one of the main reasons for global warming, but also because it produces a deficiency in the use of natural resources and, in addition, it is an economic loss. Production, packaging, man-hour resources and logistics are just some of the processes that are invested in, but end up being lost every time a product is wasted.  

If we put it in numbers, around 220 million tons of food are lost in Latin America and the Caribbean.  

 While there are shared responsibilities, the Food Waste Index 2021, conducted by Pnuma and the NGO Wrap, revealed that during 2019 there were more than 900 million tons of food that ended up in the garbage globally.  

 And believe it or not, 61% of those losses had occurred in homes.  

 That lettuce you didn't eat or that banana you left to rot in your kitchen contributed to that shocking figure.    

You can also read: The main disadvantages of having a lot of information, but no data analysis whatsoever.  

That is why it is essential to be a more responsible consumer. How?   

 Here are some ideas to prevent you from losing food at home:  

• If you have a small family of two, you don't need to buy for 10, especially if they are perishable foods.  
  
  
• Consume the products that will expire first. In fact, sorting them by date is a great option.
  
   
• Create recipes with expiring ingredients that no longer look as appealing as when you bought them.    
  
  

And when buying, what to consider?    

• Look at the expiration dates. This way you can choose the products with the longest shelf life.  
  
  
• Did you know that expiration date is not the same as best before date? Learn how to understand labels so you can shop with more information.  
  
  
• One of the measures taken by brands is to sell cheaper products that are about to expire. Prefer them. This way you will be able to save and you will help to keep those foods from going to waste.  
  
  
• Don't discriminate. Aesthetically imperfect fruits or vegetables are just as tasty and nutritious as those that look beautiful and perfect.
  
     

Companies are changing their offerings and customer service, not only on their own initiative, but also because people are changing their purchasing preferences.   

In other words, if the consumer changes, so does the industry.  

At Datamind we are aware of this phenomenon. That is why we deliver a service in which retail brands can analyze their customers' preferences, overstock, lost sales, Instock and thus make efficient their shelf availability (OSA) and, finally, ensure proper logistics. Through our BI platform and our Taskmanager, they can review the performance of their products and make decisions to deliver a better service and avoid losses.    

Do you want to know more about our services? Contact us and we will solve all your doubts.