Factors That Were Involved in the Love Food Hate Waste Campaign in NSW - Case Study Example

Love food hate waste campaign Name Instructor Subject Date Introduction Food security is a major global concern even in developed economies, this is evidence by the many efforts various governments are taking to ensure that their economies and their people will not be negatively impacted by food insecurity. This report focuses on the New South Wales and the concern that is rampant there; food wastage, a camping dubbed love food hate waste was ran and the emphasis was on the large quantities of food and beverages that get wasted yearly there. This report discusses the campaign, how it got going and how it influenced the lives of the people involved. Campaign overview The love food hate waste campaign started in NSW a few years back after their government realized that food wastage was on the rise and it was a lot (New South Wales, 2010). In an effort to reclaim the food wastage, the government and other private organizations joined forces to have the campaign. Research was carried out to determine the exact numbers of food wastage and the levels at which the food gets wasted most, the realization the government came up with was as follows. Food wastage in NSW amounts to 1.2 tons annually and 800,000 tons of this waste comes from private residences and homes while the rest comes from business such as restaurants and hotels (New South Wales, 2010). This shows that the majority of the people are not careful and responsible with what they take at home and this leads to leniency in wastage of food. Businesses and establishments have reduced incidences as compared to homes but this might be attributed to their small number as compared to homes (New South Wales, 2010). The research also indicated that more than one third of garbage in a home dust bin is food material, which makes food waste as the largest single component to be wasted in homes. The implications of food wastage in NSW are not only economical (large expenditure on the people) but also on the environment. Recent figures show that the greenhouse emissions from disposed food is second to what power station in the nations emit (Marson, 2009). This comes about as a result of the breaking down of food to produce methane gas which is a greenhouse gas that is 25% more potent than carbon IV oxide. The disadvantages do not end at the atmosphere but also spread to the soil where the breaking down of this food waste diminishes the nutrients and natural resources invested in the supply chain. Looking at the financial overview that accrue to this problem, figures form the research indicate that 2.5 billion dollars’ worth of food is wasted annually. Actual figures show that an estimated 848 million of fresh food is thrown away while the other 694 million is left over foods (Marson, 2009). Each particular household in the nation throws away an estimated 1000 dollars’ worth of food each year, and according to the research 60 percent of this amount of food is avoidable. (Avoidable foods refers to the foods that are edible and fit for human consumption but gets thrown away as waste). On the other hand 40% of the food wasted in households is the unavoidable food materials; and they are the food materials that cannot be consumed for instance; fruit skins, egg shells, bones and so forth. WRAP findings suggest that there will always be some form of food wastage in households, however unlike other campaigns that focus on recycling the LFHW is an avoidance program that air tightens the process and has solid solutions which cannot be said of other programs (NSW EPA, 2014). The program is set with the mind that targeting avoidance will have the greatest environmental outcome. In order to run an effective avoidance campaign it is vital to find out why food is wasted. The WRAP results showed that food is wasted due to three reasons. 1. Buying too much – this is as a result of not having a chopping list, temptation of offers at the store, not planning in advance for meals so as to find out what is needed most in the house and what is not and finally due to a simple reason of failure to check in fridges and cupboards what is available and what is not. Secondly, cooking too much food than what is required for a given meal – most people desire to have more than enough food, serve themselves excess quantities and this then brings about left over which are thrown away. Thirdly, most people are ignorant of the most effective methods of storing foods, in some households foods get forgotten in freezer while others are kept for long durations in their original packages. The results of this is more wastage. If these three instance can be remedied then the food wastage would reduce by an estimated 50 percent. However the question of who wastes food in NSW has always come up. It is evident that everyone wastes food, however, there are three categories that waste food more than the rest of the populations. These include; young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, the general assumption they have is that it is impossible to avoid wasting food if one has a busy lifestyle. Their main characteristics involves buying in bulk, even when the amount required is excess but so long as it is on offer it is good to go. Their wastage comes in due to this excess food, they tend to throw away food even without checking if it is spoil. The second category is high income households. According to the love food hate waste campaign (New South Wales, 2010), these households rarely eat at home, and when they do it is common for different members to eat different foods. When it comes to cooking, they cook excess food just in case the food is not enough. The positive thing about this category is that it is concerned with environment conservation and therefore expected to adhere to the campaign. The third category here is the families with kids, the major issue with these families is that they always buy in bulk and are not willing to change this habit because it works out for them. However, according to the research these families are willing to take a step in ensuring that they combat their wastage and most of them have set up worm farms that are used to compose most of their waste. The fourth category is the CALD communities which were identified as large wasters as well, however it is difficult to link their habit in this study since more research is required in this field. Now that the campaign has identified the reason why food is wasted and who the large culprits are, the campaign has to model a program that target these specific groups and offers them the required education pertaining the campaign. These groups are the ones analyzed above and the message for young adults would be that food is still safe for consumption if it is stored correctly and it is within its best before date. It is vital for them to also know that planning for meals is an effective way of staying within the budget and it also reduces the chances of food being wasted in terms of volume and money (NSW EPA, 2014). The high income households’ campaign message would be that there are lessons they can take (cooking skills classes) that would ensure they get the required knowledge against food wastage. It would be vital for them to be provided with the knowledge that the amounts of food they cook should be within the limits of a given meal and that shopping excessively is not always the best thing. Families with kids need to know that planning for durational consumption plays a major role in ensuring the food bought is consumed fully. With regard to taking advantage of special offers, these families can also engage in effective storing of food in order to ensure the food they buy is well utilized before getting spoilt. The client The Australian government is the major client for this campaign, and its main aim is to bring the knowledge of food wastage and prevention to the people. This is according to my earlier stipulation that various governments and institutions are working together to bring awareness about food wastage to the people. Other governments that have been involved in similar campaigns include the UK government, the Abu Dhabi government and so forth. The Australian government worked on collaboration with other stakeholders who had a similar motive, they include the Love food hate waste campaigners, the Hornsby suburb group and the NSW foundation (NSW EPA, 2014). The local government in most of parts of the nations supported the campaign, for instance Ballina Shire Council, Bathurst Regional Council, Bega Valley Shire Council, Banks town Council, Blue Mountains City Council just to name a few. State government authorities such as the NSW food authority which helps ensure that food is correctly labelled and safe for consumption, also the Sydney harbor authority partnered with the love food hate waste campaign in order to help minimize food wastage in festivals and so on. Other business partners who played significant roles in ensuring that the message was spread across the whole NSW include Bluapple, CFT International Food Safety Training, Club Ryde X, Coolsan, Diggies Cafe and North Kiosk, Dimeo Waste Services just to name a few (New South Wales, 2010). Other partners were the inaugural partners whose main task and role was because they were retailers, manufacturers and kind of directly related and connected to the consumers, they include, Woolworths ltd., Australian food and groceries council, Local governments and shire council of NSW and the NSW health. Agencies involved; media, public relations and creative teams All the partners that worked closely for this campaign were of different natures and differentiated in their own way, there were media houses which handled all matters of the media (Club Ryde X) and the sensitization of the public in order for them to know the campaign had been launched, the specifics of the campaign and their role in it. The government which was the major client, ensured that most of the businesses had a direct function in the campaign, this is why they also partnered with public relations firms for instance, Reorganize Yourself, that are responsible in the presentation of the information about the campaign. The creative agencies such as the one mentioned below, Caldera Institute for Sustainable Community Development Ltd, had the role of customizing the materials that the public saw, they also modelled the information in a way that was convincing to the public about the implications of the food wastages (Marson, 2009). It is vital to note that an effective campaign would not have been achieved without the effort of all these stakeholders since for impressive work all the functions of the teams stated here have to work simultaneous for instance, if a creative team was not present, the information would be plain and boring to read through, however if the public relations team was not present the information would have been presented in a rather unsuitable way and if the media was not involved word would not have got out about the campaign. Organizations that needed to be convinced There are a number of firms that need some convincing since their business involves the sale of food products to the public such organization include the inaugural partners such as the ones below, , Woolworths ltd., Australian food and groceries council, Local governments and shire council of NSW and the NSW health (New South Wales, 2010). The Australian food and groceries council had to see the viability of this campaign to the nation since it cannot advocate for minimized sale and purchase or groceries and risk losing the revenues got from the sale of these products. Since these organizations came on board means that the government communicated its message loud, clearly and effectively to win the attention of the organizations and the public as well. The government did not only get these corporations on board but also had those organizations cooperating and spreading the love food hate waste message. Types of media used Such an enormous campaign involving the whole nation has to have various modes of media platforms that were utilized. This is evident in that the campaign used brochures, websites, posters, style plans, pull up banners, red lid sticker, artwork, work sheets, menu planners and so forth. The website and the brochures contained most of the information such as recipes. The website had additional information such as video clips and links to social media pages (Marson, 2009). The fact sheets had information on why most people wasted food, while the pull up banners were attractive and eye catching for using in events and areas where the attention of people is required. A4 and A3 posters were available for providing means of utilizing adverts on newspapers columns and so forth. Menu planners provided lists of essential food products and excessive food products for the public. Present past and future considerations of the client The client had considered all of these factors before launching the campaign this is evident from the detailed campaign overview that the client engaged in (Marson, 2009). qualitative research is vital even in marketing, a research allows a client to realize the factors that are involved or those that revolve around a given scenario or case. It allows the researcher to be able to diagnose the past implications of the issue (in this instance food wastage) and determine the level of effects it has on the subject matter (NSW). The campaign was then modelled with all this in mind and the expectation of the campaign are the future considerations which were stated for each target group. For instance the young adults were well aware of the environmental dangers that would accrue if the environment is destroyed. The high income earners were well concerned of the environment while the families with kids were going a step further to rear worms that minimized their waste. This shows that the client had past, present and future considerations all figured out. Marketing activities The involved activities included having sufficient documentation of the campaign and the awareness it set to bring. Mainstream media; TV and radio was used on several occasions while the rest of the time the campaign depended on the internet and the material in circulation. The most effective method used must have been the internet, this is because most of the people are online and use this resource more than any other resources available. Interested parties that were willing to participate in the campaign were offered a chance to apply for the competition and this was quite effective since each venue provided new and more audience for the campaign. The client was right in making this decision for an advertisement platform this is because all marketing platforms have their own form of audience. The internet has most of them nowadays since the young people, parents and kids are on social media while the older generation relies on print media. The client also involved various organizations that offer a large gateway towards the public and this is good for an advertisement (New South Wales, 2010). YouTube videos were also available and they create an environment where they can be viewed, shared and commented on, and such discussion about a campaign is good for publicizing a campaign (Marson, 2009). The one thing I would discredit about this campaign is that the client utilized a lot of print media, like poster, menu planners and so on. The main disadvantage to this form of marketing is that it brings about a lot of waste material. If I were running the campaign I would have utilized less print media and concentrate on the internet and viral marketing. Measuring success The marketing campaign was a huge success this is evident in the way it brought about many firms all over the country to endorse it and agree with its message. The campaign was successful since it also reminded people of what was really important for a long time, this is environmental preservation. The campaign showed the people that they could stand for another course other than the marketing of food products in order to increase sales and boost their profits. The companies that were involved also affirmed this to their consumers and this is essential to their global image. This campaign brought about a self-less image of the companies in NSW, governmental authorities and even local governments. All these institutions cooperated for the purpose of having the food wastage reduce in NSW. With all this unity for one course it is definite to say that the campaign was a success. The creative campaign cannot be directly attributed to the change in information systems that were applied in the marketing since the creative campaign had already incorporated all these communication factors in its design (New South Wales, 2000). The print, internet, involvement of other organizations and so forth were already part of the whole process. There might have been a few variations in communication that may have existed but these were for the purpose of differentiating the different categories of the audiences; for instance, the audience in a book club is not the same audience in a youth soccer club therefore the message would be prevailed and communicated differently. Agency client relationship The client, had they accessed services from another firm the services would have differed or the campaign would have been a bit the same. There are two reason for this, the first is that the company that the service for the campaign that would have been outsourced would have given a closely related recommendation for the campaign (Marson, 2009). This is because these firms have an outlined system of doing such kinds of campaigns, the only difference that would have been witnessed is the form of delivery, the other firm may have decided not to involve themselves with the utilization of many print media and this would have been due to various reasons. Like people, firms operate differently and are willing to take different steps to achieve certain goals, this kind of diversity is what make and brings about the beauty of humanity. Recommendations Despite the fact that the campaign a comprehensive study, one that was preceded by a conclusive research, there are a number of recommendations that would apply in this category. 1. The study should have involved the use of less print media and more of digital marketing skills, this would have been in line with their campaign for environmental conservation (New South Wales, 2010). The marketing campaign would also have avoided the chances of littering the environment with waste from the marketing poster and prints. 2. Internet resources are cheaper to use and this would have reduced the cost of having to pay for prints and then spend more money in distribution of the prints. 3. The campaign has not mentioned anywhere the entry to schools and institutions of higher learning. I think this would have been a vital addition to the campaign since the school going students and kids would have accessed this information right at school thereby minimizing chances where they grow up without this information (New South Wales, 2000). Having this information dispensed in schools would have made it easier for kids to get answers on questions they might have from their teacher on food wastage and the methods of dealing with it. If I were the agency, the one thing I would stop doing would be utilizing a lot of print media in the campaign and this is due to the reason I stated above; littering. The one thing that I would continue to do would be to continue spreading the information about the love food hate waste message to even remote areas such as CALD where their preferences in terms of food habits have not been figured out due to the diversity of their cultures and attitudes (New South Wales, 2010). The one thing that I would start to do would be to introduce the curriculum in schools and the institutions of higher learning so as to create a kind of culture that believe in the preservation of food and the proper utilization of this resources. Conclusion This report has analyzed all the factors that were involved in the love food hate waste campaign in NSW. The campaign was carried out in a world class way and the campaign can be termed as a success. It is vital to note that this single campaign has brought together many corporations, even competing ones to the same table, all in agreement that food conservation is vital to the nation and its people. I would like to add that if the recommendations offered here are adhered to then the campaign will be a greater success. The positive effects of this campaign have already been felt in the nation people are embracing it and this is expected to go on for the foreseeable future. References New South Wales. (2000). Love Food Hate Waste. Sydney, N.S.W.: Office of Environment and Heritage. Marson, C. (2009). Love food hate waste: The cookbook. London: Hodder & Stoughton. New South Wales. (2010). Love food hate waste. Parramatta, N.S.W: Environment, Climate Change & Water. NSW EPA (2014): Business partners retrieved on April 12, 2014. NSW EPA (2014): Love Food Hate Waste pull up banners < http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au/resources/pull-up-banners.aspx> retrieved on April 12, 2014. 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