Addressing food waste: How to position upcycled foods to different generations

Abstract

Food waste is a global crisis that paradoxically exists alongside food scarcity. A promising solution to these connected problems of food insecurity and food waste is upcycled foods. Upcycled foods are made from ingredients that are usable but generally discarded. While upcycled foods can help reduce food waste, little is known about the best market strategy for these foods. This research investigates how consumers from different generations perceive upcycled foods. Our findings show that Gen Z, Gen Y, and Baby Boomers have higher intentions to purchase upcycled foods while Gen X shows lower intentions to purchase because of quality concerns. The present research also explores lifestyle patterns of each generation. Based on lifestyle analyses, positioning strategies for upcycled foods are proposed.