Sustainability Trends: What Has Changed Over the Last 5 Years

According to the USDA, sustainable agriculture means meeting human nutritional needs while enhancing the environment and fostering long-term benefits to human life. Sustainability is an important factor that drives consumer decision–making and spending. Over the last five years, AI, COVID-19, and the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and climate concerns have sparked significant change in sustainability practices.

Sustainability in 2021

In 2021, sustainability gained momentum, and retailers began devising plans to implement sustainability practices into their stores. Some of the key drivers for sustainability in 2021 included:

Reducing plastic packaging
Climate Change
Increase in desire for organic foods
Food waste
COVID-19

Consumers have become increasingly aware of how plastic affects the environment. 37% of North American consumers avoid certain grocery products that have excess plastic packaging. One of the largest sustainability practices in 2021 was reducing plastic packaging and offering paper bags as an alternative to plastic.

Retailers also recognized of how the climate was being affected by grocery practices. In 2021, an emphasis was placed on decreasing the use of traditional refrigerants, and reducing energy use wherever possible.

Consumers wanted transparency about where their food came from. In 2021, sustainability marketing surged, and the increase in demand for organic foods with few ingredients became apparent.

Food waste became another major concern, and retailers began to partner with non-profits to donate food & reduce food waste, since supermarkets alone produced up to 10% of food waste in the U.S. in 2021.

Lastly, COVID-19 had a significant impact on sustainability efforts. The pandemic increased awareness surrounding public health and community well-being while highlighting the importance of safer operational practices. Retailers enhanced their disinfection procedures, worked to reduce harmful cleaning chemicals where possible, and many grocery stores implemented mandatory mask policies to help protect customers and employees.

2026

2021 was the start of increased awareness about sustainability, but practices in 2026 have continued to modernize & become even more advanced. Key sustainability trends in 2026 consist of:

Regenerative farming
Food waste reduction managed by AI
Smart technology reducing energy & water waste
Responsible product sourcing
Recyclable packaging on more items

Climate change is a continuing concern for many consumers and retailers. In food production, modern practices like regenerative farming have become popular and have shown a positive impact on the environment. When practicing regenerative agriculture, soil erosion has been limited to less than one ton per acre annually, compared to conventional farming which erodes 10-100 acres annually. Through regenerative farming, the environment is improved by rebuilding soil health and capturing carbon. This cycle greatly reduces disturbances made to soil and allows for a more diverse range of crops to be grown. This has greatly impacted climate change and offers future food security for years to come.

AI has become a fundamental tool for not only consumers, but also retailers. Retailers can now use AI to manage their inventory to avoid overstocking perishable items. This, in turn, along with continued partnerships with non-profits and food banks, reduces food waste. Marking down prices on imperfect fresh products has also had a positive impact on increasing consumer spending and minimizing food waste.

Retailers have also focused on reducing energy and water waste. Using smart lighting and smart faucets ensures that the process is more sustainable. Approximately 51% of retailers have adopted LED smart lighting systems to reduce energy waste. Audits are also performed that detail which appliances and products are consuming the most energy.

Product sourcing has become a more localized effort, making it a more sustainable practice. Retailers are partnering directly with producers and are sourcing more local products. Nearly 75% of retailers partner directly with local producers.

Lastly, the efforts to reduce plastic packaging have increased. Lots of stores now offer bulk bins of products where consumers can fill bags individually, reducing the waste of plastic. Packaging on products themselves hasbecome recyclable or minimal. This increased has surged, because 90% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands with sustainable packages.

Key Takeaways

Although sustainability practices have advanced considerably over the last five years, there is still significant room for improvement from both retailers and consumers. With emerging technology and new eco-friendly products, grocery practices will only become more sustainable in the years ahead. With nearly 87% of consumers citing that they would purchase sustainable brands if they were more widely available, the market has room for improvement and further increases in sustainable practices, and brands who actively center sustainability.

Sustainability Trends: What Has Changed Over the Last 5 Years