Here’s how personal care companies can tackle the food waste problem

As the negative economic, environmental, and social implications of food waste become clearer, innovative bio-processing solutions are emerging to offer new ways by which personal care companies can address this growing problem.

Attempts to minimize food waste are prominent in the food and drink sectors. The release of ‘wonky veg’ boxes by UK supermarket chain Asda has demonstrated consumer willingness to purchase produce that would have otherwise been discarded purely for aesthetic reasons. Now, beauty and grooming companies are realizing that this same potential exists in their own sectors. This therefore creates opportunities to develop environmentally-friendly cosmetic products to attract these sustainability-conscious consumers through processing fruit and vegetable waste and take advantage of the beauty benefits these under-valued ingredients offer such as being rich in anti-oxidants.  

Whether it is within the food they eat, the beverages they drink, or the products that they apply to their skin and wider appearance, consumers are conscious of the ingredients that they expose themselves to on a daily basis. In fact, 60% of consumers globally say they are either very or extremely concerned about the impact of chemicals on their health and appearance (GlobalData’s Q3 2016 consumer survey).

Products that are perceived as ‘natural’ therefore hold allure for the cautious consumer, a third of which interpret the term to mean the inclusion of plant-based ingredients, while 19% of consumers interpret ‘natural’ to mean ethical and sustainable production methods (GlobalData’s Q4 2016 consumer survey).

Opportunities therefore exist for brands within the personal care space to tap into this desire for natural yet responsible solutions by creating unique and sustainable products using extracts derived from plant-based food waste.

While this concept appears novel, UK supermarket chain Marks and Spencer used grape waste in its ‘super grape’ skincare products which were launched back in 2014. Since then, however, the growing usage of natural and health promoting food and drink ingredients in personal care products, particularly in light of today’s ‘wellness revolution’ is paving the way for associated implications, like food waste, to be addressed within this sector.

Now, informed and engaged consumers seek personal care products with sustainability credentials, meaning that extracting antioxidants and anti-aging compounds from food waste holds greater potential to influence innovation within several categories in the personal care sector.

Going forward, beauty players wanting to tap into this trend will recognize the value in creating mutually beneficial partnerships with supermarkets to obtain food waste sustainably. It is also essential that manufacturers market these products based on their efficacy as well as sustainability credentials in order to convince consumers that they offer the same results as their favorite creams and ointments.