Americans Open Up About Food Waste in New Bosch Study, Toss 103 Pounds Annually

• Americans confess to throwing out more than half of what their refrigerator contents are worth every week, equating to nearly $3,000 in food waste a year in new survey
• Waste is attributed to losing items in a cluttered refrigerator and lack of organization, with fruits and vegetables among the most commonly wasted items
• New Bosch freestanding French door bottom mount refrigeration collection is designed to help combat this waste through organizational solutions and food preservation technologies that keep food fresh up to three times longer*

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 19, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On the heels of its new counter-depth refrigeration collection launch, Bosch home appliances today unveiled the results of a new study examining the food waste habits of Americans. In the survey of 2,000 respondents, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Bosch, Americans opened up about their weekly food waste habits and revealed staggering numbers at the household level:

• With $102 worth of product in their refrigerator at any given time, the average American tosses nearly $54 in spoiled food a week, or $2,798 every year
• As part of that waste, Americans toss four spoiled items from their refrigerator every week, equating to 103 pounds a year and 6,180 over the average adult lifetime
• The most common refrigerated items wasted were strawberries (50 percent) and apples (47 percent), followed by leafy greens (44 percent), potatoes (43 percent) and meat (43 percent)

While readily confessing to these high numbers, 73 percent of respondents say they feel guilty about this unnecessary waste, with 77 percent attributing tossed items to forgetting they are in their refrigerator or losing them among the clutter. Further, 65 percent agree this waste is due to lack of organization or space in the fridge, with one in four admitting their refrigerator is unorganized. 

“These results show the significant impact that unnecessary food waste has on our everyday lives, those around us, and our wallets,” said Anja Prescher, Director of Brand Marketing at Bosch home appliances. “We believe the refrigerator should work harder for you to help prevent this waste, and our new freestanding Bosch French door bottom mount refrigeration collection is designed to help prevent food waste by keeping your food organized and fresher longer.”

Years of consumer research led to the recently launched Bosch refrigeration collection. The new units are designed with technologies that maximize freshness while also making it easier to store and see food. Passionate about reducing food waste and always keeping consumer insights at the heart of its innovations, Bosch encourages the following four tips at home:

1. Seeing is Believing: Keep Items in View – Three in four Americans blame waste on either forgetting that certain items are in their refrigerator or losing them in the clutter. However, proper lighting and shelving design can make a big difference. In addition to LED lighting from corner to corner, the FlexBar™ on the new Bosch refrigeration collection provides a solution for typically unused space in the upper refrigerator cavity by raising items up and offering the ability to rearrange shelves so small condiment jars, eggs, wine bottles and more have an easy-to-see-and-reach home.

2. Organization is Key: Be Thoughtful about Arrangement – While 67 percent of Americans view themselves as being organized, one in four Americans also readily admit that their fridge is unorganized. The new Bosch refrigerators can help with solutions that are designed to keep items in view. Features like the FlexBar, adjustable split shelving, gallon door bins and a three-tiered freezer drawer system create maximum flexibility and ease to help keep your refrigerator organized.  

3. Removing the Guesswork: Use Technology to your Advantage – With 71 percent of Americans wishing their refrigerator kept their food fresh longer, the four-point FarmFresh System™ from Bosch keeps food fresh up to three times longer, for less food wasted*. The innovative FarmFresh System features the industry’s first automatic temperature and humidity control drawer, VitaFreshPro™, taking the guesswork out of food storage via pre-programmed freshness settings. The system also includes a FreshProtect™ Filter that slows the ripening process by absorbing ethylene gas emitted from fruits and vegetables.

4. Maximizing Your Ingredients: Get Friendly with Your Freezer – 52 percent of Americans agree they wastefully toss out food because it will spoil before they have a chance to eat it. In these instances, the freezer can help extend the life of ingredients and make weeknight meals easier. An organized freezer helps keep food visible, so it doesn’t get buried and forgotten. Bosch’s new counter-depth refrigerators offer a three-tier, layered freezer drawer system, creating extra storage for frozen items. The new organized shelving system, paired with LED lighting, clearly displays all freezer items, helping reduce food waste.

“The all-new Bosch refrigeration collection was developed to set a new standard in refrigeration and deliver advanced freshness technologies as well as organizational solutions that combat the growing food waste concern,” Prescher said. “Food has an amazing power to bring people together and fresh ingredients are the center of this shared experience.”

The new Bosch counter-depth collection is available now, and more tips for reducing waste at home can be found here. For more on Bosch home appliances, visit www.bosch-home.com/us, or connect with Bosch on Facebook (@BoschHome), Twitter (@BoschHomeUS) or Instagram (@BoschHomeUS).

*As compared to a Bosch refrigerator without FarmFresh System™. Results may vary among different foods.

About Bosch home appliances
Bosch home appliances has been selling high-quality appliances in the United States since 1991. With a focus on engineering products that simplify life, Bosch is known nationwide for raising the standards in quietness, efficiency and design. Bosch frequently receives top ratings in leading consumer publications. Bosch home appliances is part of BSH Home Appliances Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Munich based BSH Home Appliances Group, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe, and one of the leading companies in the sector worldwide. Headquartered in Irvine, CA, the company operates manufacturing facilities in La Follette, Tenn., and New Bern, N.C., housing state-of-the-art factories for dishwashers, ranges, ovens and cooktops. Technology and Development Centers are located in Knoxville and Oak Ridge, Tenn., and New Bern, N.C.

About This Study
This online survey of 2,000 US adults was commissioned by Bosch home appliances and conducted by market research company OnePoll, in accordance with the Market Research Society's code of conduct. Data was collected between July 7 and July 12, 2019. All participants are paid an amount depending on the length and complexity of the survey. This survey was overseen and edited by the OnePoll research team, who are members of the MRS and have corporate membership to ESOMAR.

Media Contact:
Nicole Viotto
415-692-3059
[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5a74c9f-d117-463c-8a31-ef96324992b0