In China, President Xi Jingping brought attention to the distressing amount of food that goes to waste and responds with the Clean Plate Campaign as a solution. He made a point that the pandemic has "sounded the alarm" on the matter and that China must "maintain a sense of crisis about food security."
Many farms were destroyed and produce along with it following a mass flooding in southern China. The campaign is a movement that helps the community through the pandemic, cutting the waste generated by the population. Noticing that China's food waste was enough to feed up to 30 to 50 million people at an annual scale, tactics have been put in place to shift consumption habits. Citizens are to correctly recycled their food waste and face punishments or penalties to their social credit rating if not met.
Food Waste Management Campaigns
China Controls Food Waste with the Clean Plate Campaign
Trend Themes
1. Reducing Food Waste - Opportunities for companies to create more sustainable products and packaging to reduce the amount of food waste produced.
2. Behavioral Shifting - Opportunities to alter consumer behavior by using educational campaigns and gamification methods to promote organic farming and healthy food practices.
3. Social Credit System - Opportunities for businesses to integrate social credit ratings into their marketing strategies to emphasize the importance of sustainable practices and incentivize consumers to adopt more eco-friendly habits.
Industry Implications
1. Sustainability Industry - Businesses can develop innovative technologies and products to help reduce food waste and promote sustainable farming practices.
2. Food and Beverage Industry - Restaurants and food companies can develop strategies for reducing food waste, such as using excess food for composting or donating to food banks.
3. Marketing and Advertising Industry - Opportunities exist for marketing agencies and advertisers to support the Clean Plate Campaign and similar initiatives by communicating the importance of sustainability and food waste reduction in their campaigns.