Grocery Shopping for a
Healthier Planet

To reduce waste and cut back on carbon footprints,
grocery stores and shoppers alike are trying to do their part.

ith quarantine limiting time outside the home for many people last year, Americans pivoted to grocery shopping less often and buying more items per store trip. They examined their refrigerators before heading to the store. They thought more about the shelf life of different items, and about the versatility of specific ingredients. One unexpected result? All of these behaviors can ultimately help reduce food waste, something that is crucial to curbing the environmental impact of the food system, according to Sheril Kirshenbaum, a food and agriculture researcher at Michigan State University.

Many shoppers want to do even more to help the environment — and they want grocery stores to get on board too. According to food industry association FMI, a third of shoppers prioritize their grocery store’s recycling and sustainability practices, up from 24 percent in 2019. And in the coming years, industry experts say that grocers need to continue to align themselves with an increasingly environmentally aware population.

All of these little things throughout the store really do make an impact on energy use."

Darcie Renn, Director of ESG & Sustainability for Albertsons Companies, parent company of Safeway

Large efforts are already underway, like the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, which works with grocery stores like Safeway to reduce food waste generated by overproduction, donate food to people in need and divert food waste from landfills through composting and other methods. And stores are making major commitments when it comes to reducing waste as part of a broader, comprehensive approach to sustainability.