Could investing in better preservation save you money and grow your brand?

Kerry’s proprietary consumer research draws from over 5,000 quantitative and 60 one-on-one qualitative deep dive perspectives, detailing the different reasons food goes to waste in homes.
Researchers examined what drives purchase behaviours, the relevance of preservatives and the types of food and drink consumers find most painful to throw out.
Consumers from 10 countries shared their unique food waste journeys, which highlight why preservation and shelf-life extension are the #1 way to address consumer concerns.
To waste less money
Concern for the environment
Guilt, over people left hungry
General upbringing and lifestyle

98% of consumers are actively trying to reduce food waste.

See the top reasons why
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More than 1/3 of consumers will switch to brands or products with a longer shelf life, according to research about brand loyalty.

Food waste can hurt your business

  • Negative brand associations
  • Consumers will look elsewhere
  • Lost customers
Negative brand associations

Wasted food can lower brand and product attitudes and impact repurchase from consumers.

Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019. Erica van Herpen, Ilona E. de Hooge. When product attitudes go to waste: Wasting products with remaining utility decreases consumers’ product attitudes.
Consumers will look elsewhere

Low value, highly consumed foods that go to waste often (e.g. bread) bring cumulative pain to consumers because of the accruing cost of throwing them out. Consumers may look for an alternative product that produces less waste.

Lost customers

91% of consumers are adopting new purchase patterns to reduce food waste. These behaviours include purchasing smaller quantities and reading expiration dates before purchase, but more importantly, they will also switch brands if it means wasting less.

A solution? Better shelf life

72% of consumers

agree that extending the shelf life of a food or drink would help them reduce waste.*

Whether by mould, spoilage or past expiration dates, many of the top reasons that food goes to waste are linked to food protection and preservation.
*When consumers were given four solutions to reduce food waste, extending shelf life was the second most agreeable solution, after resealable packaging (77%).
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See how this comes to life in: meat and bakery

Don’t let your brand get left behind

Consumers understand the role of preservatives in their food and 74% believe preservatives are important in the foods they buy.

From extending and maintaining quality over shelf life to ensuring products are safe to eat, Kerry’s deep preservation portfolio and expertise can meet your needs today and into the future.
Food Safety
Ensure the safety of meat products with clean label or conventional ingredients


Mould Control
Keep bread mould-free for longer with proven preservation solutions


Clean Label

Appeal to consumers with natural and familiar preservation ingredients