Makro, one of Colombia’s largest supermarket chains, has launched an innovative campaign called the ‘Life Extending Stickers’ initiative. The campaign aims to promote sustainability and combat food waste by providing consumers with recipes and suggestions for using fruits and vegetables at every stage of ripeness. Let’s explore how this initiative helps in reducing food waste and promotes responsible consumption.
The Problem of Food Waste and Makro’s Sustainability Strategy
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the National Planning Department (DNP), 6.1 million tons of food are wasted annually in Colombia alone, and 40% of the waste is from fruits and vegetables. To address this issue has Makro set up this sustainability objective to help its stores waste less while supporting the education of its shoppers. This initiative is a part of Makro’s sustainability strategy aimed at contributing to four of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 12, which aims at responsible production and consumption, reducing food waste, and promoting sustainable lifestyles.
The Life Extending Stickers initiative is a key part of this strategy. The campaign, developed in collaboration with creative agency Grey Colombia makes use of small, color-coded stickers. The color-coded stickers provide easy recipes for using produce whether unripe, ripe, or overripe to educate consumers that fruits and vegetables can be used at any stage. Thus the name – ‘Life Extending Stickers’.
Juan Jose Posada, President and CCO of Grey Colombia, explained that the stickers demonstrate how a simple, analog solution can solve a complex problem like food waste. Although the stickers are a seemingly small detail, they have the potential for a huge impact.
Rewriting the Ripeness Myth
The Life Extending Stickers are like any traditional 1 sq. inch produce sticker. However, they are a powerful initiative that addresses the global and local issue of food waste in a simple way using colors, not technology. Grey Colombia thoughtfully designed innovative stickers that use colors to help show consumers how their produce can be used at every stage of ripeness. By suggesting recipes and alternative uses, the stickers aim to dispel the myth that produce must be thrown out once ripe. Each color on the sticker is associated with a series of easy-to-prepare recipes, which you can also find on Makro’s Instagram account.
According to Nicolás Tobón, CEO of Makro Colombia,
“This is a corporate initiative that reinforces our commitment to savings and sustainability, especially since we understand that avoiding food waste is also about saving money.”
All said, the campaign helps in transforming consumption habits to benefit both Makro’s customers and the environment by educating shoppers and providing alternative uses for ripe produce. Shoppers can find the Life Extending Stickers during Makro’s ‘Market Wednesdays and Sundays’ on fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocados, tomatoes, mangoes, and papayas, among others.
Life Extending Stickers: A Simple Solution with a Big Impact
With an innovative yet straightforward solution, Makro and Grey have demonstrated how a minor detail like a produce sticker can be leveraged to solve a massive problem. By reframing ideas about ripeness and usability, the Life Extending Stickers point to the possibility of reducing food waste through education and changing behaviors around sustainable consumption. Overall, the campaign reflects Makro’s broader mission to enable smarter, eco-friendly shopping.
Also Read: Artful Sustainability: Botnia’s Eco-Conscious Packaging Delights the Senses
