What are the hottest innovations to reduce retail food waste?

ECR Food Waste Innovation Challenge returns to identify the cutting-edge solutions to a global problem

The ECR Retail Loss Group — a network of 200+ retailers from around the world searching for new ways to reduce waste — are today (28 June 2022) starting its search for the most innovative solutions to reduce food waste in retail.

Applications for the ECR Food Waste Innovation Challenge 2022 are open until 29 July. It is free to enter.

Over the summer, the 70+ most promising global innovations to prevent, re-use or reduce food waste will be shortlisted down to the ‘Top 30’ by a panel of 24 grocery retail businesses from across the globe.

10 of the Top 30 will be invited to pitch their food waste innovation to more than 50 of the world’s leading retailers at an event on November 30, 2022.

Previous winners are already making a difference in thousands of stores worldwide.

Whywaste and Wasteless both featured in the 2019 ECR Food Waste Innovation Challenge. Since their pitches in Brussels, they’ve gone on to scale their solutions significantly.

Today, Whywaste has a presence in 20 countries worldwide working with most of the biggest brands in retail.

“It’s a fantastic exposure event, providing direct access to the correct decision-makers,” says Ben Holden, International Sales and Marketing Manager.

The ECR Food Waste Innovation Challenge is managed by the ECR Retail Loss Group and implemented by Co:cubed.

“We’re proud to be able to provide a platform for this excellent collaboration opportunity,” says Colin Peacock, Group Strategic Coordinator at the ECR Retail Loss Group.

“Retailers are constantly seeking to find new ways to prevent food waste. This brings together retailers and innovators from around the world.

“Today we throw away one-third of all the food we produce. The world simply can’t afford to continue this way. So, the retail industry is uniting to find breakthrough solutions. 

“Retailers have made big commitments to reduce food waste. The ECR Food Waste Innovation Challenge will showcase  the outstanding ideas that will help them deliver”. 

“Food Waste continues to be one of the biggest sustainability challenges facing the Retail Industry today, and startups are pioneering solutions”, explains Jeremy Basset, CEO of Co:cubed. 

“As Co:cubed, we monitor +12 million startups. We’re excited to be partnering with ECR Retail Loss Group to raise the profile of 30 of the world’s leading innovators in the Food Waste space. 

“This is an amazing opportunity for startups to engage with global retailers, and for retailers to engage with leading innovators in Food Waste. We’re excited to see the game-changing partnerships which will come from this programme”, explains Jeremy Basset, CEO of Co:cubed.