WWF & Kroger - Fighting Food Waste & Funding Conservation

When we scrape the remains of our dinner plates into the garbage or toss out food that has gone bad in our refrigerators we often think about the social or financial impact of that wasted food. But there is an important environmental connection to food loss and waste that we need to consider as well. When we waste food, the energy used to produce and transport that food also gets wasted. So, if we stop food waste, we can help combat climate change in a big way. In fact, reducing food waste can help reduce about 6-8% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

Food production impacts our planet too. The expansion of agriculture is a leading driver of deforestation and grassland conversion, and in turn a major threat to wildlife. In fact, 70% of biodiversity loss is due to food & agriculture production. Wasting less food is something we can all do to make a difference for our planet.

Since food production and consumption has such a big impact on biodiversity and natural systems, WWF has made sustainable food systems a key goal. We have several major initiatives focusing on food, including efforts to work across industries to address food loss and waste, from farms to our homes. We work with companies like Kroger to measure and ultimately reduce food loss and waste, and they support our efforts to spread awareness and reduce food waste in schools through WWF’s Food Waste Warriors program.

Now, WWF’s partner Kroger has launched a campaign to raise funds for WWF in honor of Earth Month. From April 1 through April 30, 2024, customers at Kroger-owned stores can round up their checkout purchase amounts to the nearest dollar, to support WWF’s conservation efforts. Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste foundation will then match customer donations up to $50,000, and all proceeds will go directly to WWF. Kroger will also post content across various digital channels to help build awareness and educate consumers and employees on the importance of protecting our planet and all that it provides us with, including food.