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Americans are stressed about grocery prices, so why do they toss or overlook so much ‘misfit’ food?

<name>Jintao Zhang, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Binghamton University, State University of New York</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jintao-zhang-2769275"/>· 13 octobre 2026

Shoppers are much more inclined to buy misshapen produce if they can be assured the quality is good. Carly Reeves on Unsplash , CC BY There’s a paradox that drives the shopping decisions of many Americans: Almost three-quarters say they’re feeling stressed out about skyrocketing grocery b

Résumé

High food waste paradox

Americans report feeling stressed about rising grocery prices, yet they discard large amounts of food that is still safe to eat.

The U.S.

government estimates that 30% to 40% of all food produced in the country is wasted, including food from consumers, retailers, and producers.

This waste contributes significantly to global warming, as the United Nations reports that 8% to 10% of global carbon emissions result from food waste.

Food insecurity, where people lack reliable access to affordable food, affects many Americans, making food waste a missed opportunity to address hunger.

Despite the economic and environmental costs, much of this discarded food is perfectly edible, such as crooked carrots or surplus yogurt, often due to cosmetic imperfections or approaching expiration dates.

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