There is a growing sentiment that we can change the norms in society. But it might require a push.

Proponents of legislation refer to the smoking ban and the mandatory car belt as two examples where the push from legislators has altered behaviors in ways that previously seemed almost unstoppable.

There is increasing evidence and business cases showing that consumers can change their behavior (the pandemic comes to mind). In some instances, it needs to be preceded by a ban of some sort.

In other cases, transparency and storytelling can go a long way in affecting consumer behavior. If a store is clear about why there are no fresh bakery products available at closing hour (let’s assume from a zero-waste philosophy), most customers would probably understand and appreciate the transparency.

Selina Juul is the founder of the Stop Wasting Food movement, and a well-known media profile in Denmark. She addressed the fact that reducing food waste is solving four problems at once.

Nudging is also a powerful tool that is increasingly being added to the fight against food waste. Smaller portions, smaller plates, à la minute servings, pricing models based on food weight, environment-friendly or reusable take-away containers, and less bulk offers, are all easy yet efficient ways of making sure customers do not create unnecessary waste.

Aligning best practice cases and creating an inclusive pool of good ideas and solutions may be important in nurturing inspiration across borders and value chain actors.

Selina Juul, Founder and Chair of the Board of the Stop Wasting Food movement (Stop Spild Af Mad)