Plus Brand Releases New BCC Research Report Quantifying the Staggering Impact of Confusion on Consumer Food and Beverage Waste

MADISON HEIGHTS, MI / ACCESSWIRE / June 19, 2024 / Plus Brand is pleased to announce that leading global survey, research and data analyst BCC Research has completed their industry-first report exploring the impact of confusion on consumer packaged good waste. Headlined by a survey of 10,000 individual consumers in the United States and titled ‘The Scale of Consumer Packaging Waste and Elevated Health Problems Due to Confusion', the June 2024 report is believed to be the first meaningful quantitative data produced on the subject matter. The problem of food waste is certainly not a new one and has been championed by ongoing collaborations between government, leading non-profit organizations like ReFED, and creative technology companies; all in pursuit of developing meaningful solutions that reduce waste along the supply chain. To date, many of the improvements have been seen at the farming, manufacturing, transportation and distribution levels. This new report highlights staggering findings related to the contribution of confusion at the less explored consumer side of the supply chain.

According to the UN Environment Programme, out of 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste in 2022, 60% happened at the household level. That unfortunate statistic, exposing that the majority of waste is being created at the consumer level, clearly indicates that innovative research and problem solving is desperately needed within this category. Plus Brand stumbled across this reality early on during the initial development and launch of Agua Plus alkaline water, specifically as it relates to the issue of bottle confusion. The concern was coming up so often that the Company set out on a mission to create a technology that had the potential to sustainably eliminate the problem.

"We had just released Agua plus initially and I was hosting a number of family members at our home for a major holiday," said Plus Brand Founder and CEO Chad Willis when asked about how the idea originated. "I shipped a pallet of Agua Plus to our home for the gathering and every morning when we would wake up and walk the kitchen, dining and living room following a night of catching up, telling stories and enjoying each others company, I would pick up 25 or more bottles of Agua Plus that often had half or more of the product remaining. They were either left out or thrown away. I'm self-admittedly quite ‘Type A' when it comes to how I attach myself to a problem that I feel needs solving and by the third morning of this I could no longer resist the feeling that there needs to be a sustainable way to address this issue. So we went into a two and a half year journey of developing a scratch ink technology that everyone told us could not be done. The problem, they said, was products that would be refrigerated, experience condensation and be in contact with ice. We were told that scratch inks simply could not withstand these elements."

Willis went on to say "Yet here we are! We were able to develop a technology that is resistant to all of those scenarios as well as mild rubbing once scratched and isn't water soluble or toxic like most other scratch inks used in other applications. Because of the unique nature of what we were able to actually develop, the lane was clear in terms of I.P. protection and we were able to secure utility patents on the technology that include its application to multiple substrates like aluminum, glass and various films. At that point we knew that we had to go one step further. All of the evidence for confusion as it relates to beverages and pre-packaged foods tends to be anecdotal… stories just like mine. So after launching Agua Plus into the market and beginning to grow quickly, we engaged BCC Research to help us quantify these unconscious consumer behaviors that we had identified. The data came back even stronger than we could have ever imagined. It confirmed that confusion is a constant problem and that it is a massive contributor to the annual waste caused at the consumer level. Beyond that, it applies to so much more than just bottled water. So many mass produced beverages or pre-packaged food products deal with the same type of confusion and the data contained in this original report sets the stage for us to share that solution with other products and brands through licensing."

For the sake of context, confusion is defined as uncertainty over to whom a food or beverage product belongs; leading to a choice between the creation of excess waste or accepting an elevated health risk. It is generally applicable to virtually all consumer packaged goods that are mass produced and meant for consumption by one individual. The problem was illustrated well in a 2021 Heineken ad campaign about home gatherings, yet also applies to most large group settings in the same way.

The primary goal of the BCC Research survey, conducted across a large sample size and a broad cross-section of American consumer demographics, was to answer 4 key questions:

1. How often do consumers experience confusion?
2. When they do experience it, what is the resulting action?
3. Why is it that they choose the resulting action?
4. When presented with the option to purchase a product with All-Scratch!® as a solution to confusion, would they purchase the product over others?

The findings were staggering, producing results stronger than anyone at Plus Brand even expected and uncovering some exciting data points that explore the psyche of the average American consumer. Through the survey we learned that:

• 59% have experience confusion related to whom a food or beverage product belongs to
• 67% threw the product away and grabbed another when this happened previously
• 85% said the elevated health risks caused by confusion are a reason why
• 77% would most likely or definitely purchase a product with All-Scratch!® as a solution to the problem of confusion.

This new data indicates that the majority of people are experiencing the issue and of those who do, most are throwing away unfinished products because they don't want to take a personal health risk by selecting the wrong one. Nearly 8 in 10 respondents also said that they would purchase a product with the All-Scratch!® solution over one without it. All of these data points line up with what Agua Plus is practically experiencing with the growing amount of physical and digital shelf space that the alkaline water is receiving thanks to the scratch technology.

The report continues by also noting that confusion is not relegated to only home gatherings. The issue surfaces in large group gatherings, restaurants, schools, universities, hospitals and at large sporting or entertainment events. Anywhere that people interact while consuming products. Practical applications also exist for other non-single-use products such as deli kits or pre-packaged meal kits that require clarity on the date opened; even prescription bottles in order to track the number of doses completed. $29 billion per year is wasted in the US alone due to confusion over best before, sell buy and open dates. With confusion being such a broad issue, All-Scratch!® has applications across all types of products.

Ultimately, consumers have a strong desire to take action towards eliminating unnecessary waste and its negative environmental impact, as long as the solutions provided are easy and sustainable. Clearly those surveyed feel like All-Scratch!® fits that bill, with 7 of 10 acknowledging that they feel the technology would alleviate their concerns with regards to the environmental impact of waste caused by confusion.

The report provides strong evidence that confusion is likely to be a significant contributing factor to excess waste on the consumer side of the equation and one that consumers possess a powerful desire to address. Preservation of health remains the number one driver, followed closely by an aspiration to positively impact the environment and their waste footprint. Given a choice, consumers are indicating that they would spend their dollars on products that address these primary concerns over ones that do not. Revelations such as these thanks to the data provided are a strong indicator to retail corporations that sales KPIs and sustainability goals can both work together, rather than against, each other.

"Our pre-launch of the new BCC Research report and survey took place last week (fittingly) at the 2024 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit in Baltimore," added Co-Founder and COO Adam Gauer. "As an organization dedicated to finding data driven solutions to food waste, for which Plus Brand has been recognized as a Solution Provider, this quantitative data on an underexplored issue was perfectly timed. We were able to share an overview of the problem, the solution that we have created with All-Scratch!® as well as the findings of the survey and report. It was great to connect directly with so many of the Sustainability Program Directors and Managers that attend ReFED from major chains like Walmart, H-E-B, Albertsons, Kroger, Giant Eagle, 7-Eleven International, Aldi and Ahold just to name a few. The chains are making huge strides to align product offerings with corporate sustainability goals in order to demonstrate to consumers their genuine commitment to reducing waste."

"Technology like All-Scratch!® combined with these new BCC data findings that provide measurable data to better understand the unconscious social behaviors of consumers offers up a powerful tool for forward-thinking chains to champion waste reduction together with their customers. Agua Plus alkaline water is proof of just that as growing distribution is a testament to the connection consumers are making to the solution. That is what Agua Plus was always meant to be; a vehicle that validates the need for a solution to confusion in the CPG space. Now Plus Brand is in a position to partner with global brands and chains who really want to deliver on their promises to do better through our licensing program. It's an opportunity for industry leaders to leverage this amazing new technology and data set at an almost inconsequential incremental cost, while generating an outsized impact. The ability to create synergies between important product revenue KPIs and corporate sustainability goals is often easier said than done. But Plus Brand has now put the power to do that into the hands of those with whom we are partnering with in leveraging this exciting technology."

The full BCC Research report can be downloaded below. All-Scratch!® technology can be integrated into the manufacturing process of virtually any CPG product, often without material changes to the packaging line. For more information on the report or with questions related to the Plus Brand All-Scratch!® licensing process, please refer to the contact information below.

About Plus Brand

Plus Brand is dedicated to developing products and technologies that meaningfully improve the day-to-day well being of health conscious yet busy people, through a focus on sustainable and easy-to-implement solutions. They are the developers of All-Scratch!® technology, the world's only sustainable solution to the problem of confusion amongst consumer packaged goods. Simply scratch your name, initials, a picture or any identifying mark directly on any product label that features the unique All-Scratch!® technology ink and avoid any confusion over who a product belongs to. For All-Scratch!® licensing inquiries or to speak with a Chain Account Manager, contact info@plusbrand.com.

About BCC Research

BCC Research provides objective, unbiased measurement and assessment of market opportunities through detailed market research reports. Their core mission is to drive future businesses and markets, and with an extensive 50-year history, they are trusted by leading organizations worldwide to provide vital insights that empower them to make confident, forward-looking decisions.

SOURCE: Plus Brand Industries