Product Type: All
Stage: Production & Harvesting, Distribution & Marketing, Consumption
Problem: Packaging is currently optimized for cost savings which often leads to over-purchasing and wasteful disposal of excess food
Solution: Modify packaging sizes to reduce sale sizes and focus on portion optimization

1. Current lack of data and sufficient study on consumption patterns leads to multiple packaging sizes. Package sizes are often designed for large bulk packaging which reduces net unit costs.
2. Consumers are encouraged to over-purchase due to large-size packages available at lower cost. Smaller packaging may increase SKUs and inventory costs.
3. Academia and industry can collaborate to conduct consumer research on optimal packaging sizing and configurations.
4. Certain manufacturers have worked to identify the most commonly oversize and over-purchased items. Kingsmill in the United Kingdom utilized a consumer study, where about 25% of adults stated that they often waste bread due to excess purchased portions, to design the “Little Big Loaf.” The new product contains larger slices but less slices per loaf of bread.