Design Thinking to Engage Consumers in Achieving Zero Waste Food Experiences: The CEASE Framework

Food waste represents one of the main issues undermining the sustainability of our food systems, which is why its minimization has been comprised among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Some researchers have begun to link the concepts of food waste and food security with well-being, suggesting that if individuals reduce their food waste, they can improve their well-being and that of the community and contribute to the achievement of different SDGs. Yet, few researches have so far looked at a concrete link between food waste initiatives, consumer engagement, and well-being, and few if any studies have analyzed design thinking and food waste, a gap which the present chapter seeks to fill. The number of companies that have decided to face a radical change in their business model is growing. Today more than ever, due to the economic crisis that will follow the current pandemic due to COVID-19, as well as social and environmental concerns, it is urgent to rethink the traditional economic model and craft a more responsible and regenerative economy. Companies must become increasingly capable of combining business with attention to creating shared value, involving end users, to collaborate in achieving sustainable development goals. Without giving up their profits, businesses must make a greater positive impact on individuals and society. Based on the fact that digital solutions are a good way to minimize consumer food waste (Secondi et al. 2019), this chapter presents an analysis of the Too Good To Go app. The app is helping, encouraging, and motivating users to engage in food waste reduction, while persuading a smaller group to start taking concrete action to reduce waste. Nevertheless, to increase the impact on food waste reduction, additional action and a broader engagement on the part of businesses are strongly needed. In this context, this chapter presents a new framework CEASE that deploys design thinking for the purpose of reducing food waste while aiming to build a community of conscious consumers that actively engage in food waste prevention actions. This chapter argues that the use of the CEASE framework will inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote healthier and sustainable food behaviors and at the same time reduce food waste and improve individuals’ well-being by designing groundbreaking food experiences. Every year, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted along the food supply chain (FSC), from cultivation and production to final consumption causing significant economic, environmental, and social harm. This chapter presents a new framework CEASE that deploys design thinking for the purpose of reducing food waste while aiming to build a community of conscious consumers that actively engage in food waste prevention actions. This chapter argues that the use of the CEASE framework will inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote healthier and sustainable food behaviors and at the same time reduce food waste and improve individuals’ well-being by designing groundbreaking food experiences.