Beating ‘Eco Fatigue’ With the Right Tools

First, let’s start with what it means. ‘Eco fatigue’ is the sense that environmental problems are too far advanced to do anything, and it can quickly lead to apathy and inaction.

Take this snippet from a recent article in The New York Times…

Washing up after dinner, I went to throw out a packet of just-eaten instant tortellini and was flummoxed. It was plastic, sure. But what kind? There was no resin code or recycling symbol on the package. Nothing on the label, either.

Should I throw it in the trash? Recycle it? And if I did, would it even get recycled? Lately, a number of reports have cast doubt on the very idea of recycling, a habit ingrained in many of us since childhood.

Recycling has been called a myth and beyond fixing as we’ve learned that recyclables are being shipped overseas and dumped (true), are leaching toxic chemicals and microplastics (true), and are being used by Big Oil to mislead consumers about the problems with plastics.

Eco-fatigue puts us all at risk of making fewer improvements. So how can we change for the better without losing our motivation?

We need to keep value in mind

Efforts to reduce food waste at a consumer level are critical to addressing the most prominent nutrition and environmental sustainability issues, but we can’t just lump change on consumers. We need to understand what drives them.

A study found that 75% of consumers find value important when deciding where to eat - up +5% since 2021. As restaurants have struggled with increased costs for food and wages, 57% of consumers say they’ve noticed a change in portion sizes, and 65% say portion size plays an important role in the perception of the value they receive while dining out.

We need consumers to have less, yet not feel short-changed.

It’s also often said that consumers usually unknowingly pay for food waste twice: once through higher prices to account for unsold items, and again through funding waste disposal. This only adds to the impression that consumers are using more of their financial resources unnecessarily, and in today’s economy, this it difficult to accept.

Bringing value to positive behaviour

So, how can we beat the fatigue? A 2021 paper found that “by integrating playful elements, a complex topic such as sustainability can be brought closer to people.” Researchers in Japan have found that gamification “can be an active strategy for encouraging green consumption behaviour”. This involves using rewards and incentives, to bring value to changes in behaviour.

Additionally, software and systems like Orderly can track everything from customer footfall to food waste reductions, and help employees, customers and stakeholders see the impact their small changes are having.

What should you focus on?

But what are the key areas that you should highlight to encourage good behaviour?

• Financial Savings: Highlighting how reducing food waste can save money by avoiding the need to purchase excess food and this cost being passed on.
• Environmental Impact: Educating consumers on how food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change can motivate environmentally conscious behaviours.
• Social Responsibility: Emphasizing less food waste can help address food insecurity, as surplus food can be redirected to those in need.
• Success Stories and Innovations: Sharing examples of successful waste reduction initiatives can inspire consumers to feel part of something big.

Don’t forget your systems.

It’s easy to point a finger at consumers, but are there any practices in your business that are hindering food waste reduction?

For example, overordering. Systematic over-ordering is very common, especially seasonally, and particularly in franchises. It should be easy to eliminate, and a quick win too – after all, the less stock, the less chance of spoilage. But with ambitious revenue targets, this habit can be difficult to curb.

It’s a complex topic. The good news? We’ve seen real change delivered through smart software solutions like Orderly. Our platform helps you to optimise your ordering and inventory, reducing waste and saving costs from over ordering and manual mistakes.