McKinsey Quarterly 2023 Number 1

That could soon change: as the world moves toward a potential food emergency and as public awareness of the issue grows, external stakeholders will become savvier about food loss and, as a result, more demanding. They will compel retailers and manufacturers to act. Simply put, addressing food loss now isn’t just a good thing to do; it’s also good business—and soon it won’t be optional.

Moira Borens is a consultant in McKinsey’s Zurich office, Sebastian Gatzer is a partner in the Cologne office, Clarisse Magnin is a senior partner in the Paris office, and Björn Timelin is a senior partner in the London office.

The authors wish to thank the Consumer Goods Forum, its members, and its network of external experts for their contributions to this research.

Copyright © 2023 McKinsey & Company. All rights reserved.

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Reducing food loss: What grocery retailers and manufacturers can do

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