Reducing food waste conveniently with semi-prepared food

The retail market is rapidly transforming. Increasingly pressed for time, consumers are demanding convenient meal solutions and are turning to meal-delivery services and out-of-home consumption at the expense of the traditional grocery retailing sector. While investing in convenience food may seem a promising strategy for retailers, some convenient food has been shown to increase food waste and contribute to unhealthy diets. This creates a dilemma for retailers aiming to balance convenience with sustainability, while accounting for heterogeneity in consumers’ health motivations. We propose that semi-prepared foods—minimally processed ingredients, such as washed and chopped vegetables, that reduce preparation effort while maintaining “fresh” quality—can be a sweet spot that combines convenience with lower food waste.