Knowing where food comes from can help reduce food waste

Throwing away food wastes energy and raw materials too. Research commissioned by Too Good To Go shows that 78% of Dutch people know this. Yet only 44% actively think about where their food comes from. About one in eight Dutch people throws away fruit or vegetables every week. Alongside Picnic, Too Good To Go aims to highlight the work that goes into everyday food products.

Awareness and waste

Research firm iVOX surveyed 1,000 Dutch people who handle all or part of their household's grocery shopping. Of those surveyed, 76% feel guilty when food is thrown away. Six in ten rate the environmental impact of food waste as high or very high.

Among those who throw away little food, 83% know that raw materials are lost too. Among those who throw away the most, that figure is 72%. Meanwhile, 73% believe that knowing where food comes from and how it is produced could help reduce waste. iVOX also asked what would help people value food more. Of the respondents, 32% cited a better understanding of the time and effort that goes into food production.

Convenience wins out

On average, respondents buy 76% of their groceries at supermarkets. They mainly cite convenience (66%) and the wide selection (49%). Only 6% cite where their food comes from as a reason for shopping at a supermarket. Just 1% cite environmental impact.

According to the Voedingscentrum, the average Dutch person threw away 25.5 kilograms of food at home in 2025. Of those surveyed, 81% think they throw away less food than average.

The work behind every grocery order

Starting September 29, Too Good To Go and Picnic will highlight the food supply chain. The campaign is called ‘Reconnecting with Food’. Through a series of conversations, they will cover cultivation, harvesting, transportation, and logistics. Picnic also points to the planning and data behind every order. The company hopes consumers will be more mindful of how they use their groceries at home.

Toogoodtogo.com