The market for anti-waste applications - France

The global market for anti-food-waste applications has seen significant growth, with a burgeoning demand for solutions that address food waste at both the consumer and retail levels. Too Good To Go, a leader in the market, has witnessed an impressive growth rate, expanding into multiple countries and amassing millions of users and participating retailers. Despite the specific sales figures not being fully disclosed, the French market segment alone is estimated to have a worth of at least €33 million. This growth is buoyed by both consumer demand—driven by economic, environmental, ethical, and social incentives—and by favorable regulation, such as the 2016 Garot law in France. With strong network coverage facilitating the deployment and operation of mobile applications, and a duopoly of app stores dominating distribution, new opportunities for application development continue to emerge. This includes addressing untapped waste prevention potentials in areas like food distribution and processing. Overall, the emphasis on combating food waste through technological means appears to be an increasingly critical and dynamic component of global sustainability initiatives.

Navigating the French Anti-Food Waste Application Market: Embracing Responsible Consumption

In recent years, the market for anti-food-waste applications in France has observed an influx of innovation and user adoption, brought about by a rising consciousness for responsible consumption and waste reduction. French consumers are showing a significant inclination towards combating food waste, with an impressive 95% expressing concern for the matter. Moreover, a substantial segment of the population—approximately between 15 and 20 million—are not just empathetic but are also proactive, having utilized or shown interest in utilizing anti-waste applications.

This burgeoning demand is well-reflected by the presence and performance of market leaders such as Too Good To Go, which has seen its sales skyrocket by over 730% to reach a remarkable 9 million euros. Anti-waste applications are finding strong market traction by tapping into various consumer motivations, predominantly economic, which is a major driver for 78% of the users.

The environmental, ethical, and social aspects follow closely, substantiating the multifaceted appeal of these platforms. The consumer base is keen on embracing application solutions that not only offer financial savings but also contribute positively to the environment. In France, an estimated 29 kg per inhabitant per year is wasted, translating into a commercial value upwards of 15 billion euros annually, and equivalent to a staggering 15.3 million tonnes of CO2. Anti-waste applications are instrumental in addressing this issue, targeting especially the 20% waste resulting from misinterpretation of expiration dates on food packaging.

Moreover, amidst the diverse offerings, in-store savings applications like Too Good To Go, which allow consumers to purchase surprise baskets of unsold produce from local retailers at discounted rates, are climbing the popularity charts. These applications provide value to both the consumers, who obtain goods at a fraction of the cost, and retailers, who minimize financial losses while curtailing waste. As a result, these platforms have become a vital link between food businesses and consumers, working toward a more sustainable and waste-conscious society.

The French regulatory environment also supports these initiatives through measures like the Garot law, which mandates supermarkets to donate unsold consumables, and tax incentives under the Coluche scheme fostering food donations. Coupled with these measures, the National Pact to Combat Food Waste has set forth an ambitious goal to cut food waste by half by 2025.

The market structure features both prominent players with multi-million euro revenues and numerous emergent ventures targeting different facets of the anti-waste pipeline.

Key Contenders in the French Anti-Waste Application Sector

The French market for anti-waste applications is becoming increasingly vibrant, with several noteworthy players making significant strides in reducing food waste and promoting sustainability. These innovative companies have developed a variety of apps, each addressing different facets of the food waste problem through user-friendly digital solutions.

Too Good To Go emerges as a powerhouse in the segment, well-known for its 'surprise baskets' concept, which has harmonized the interests of consumers and merchants. The app offers users the opportunity to purchase unsold food from local businesses at reduced prices, thus preventing wastage. Their proactive stance extends to educating users about the importance of understanding best-before dates and advocating for minimal packaging.

Phénix is another significant player, but with a unique operation model—it goes beyond the conventional B2C platform and indulges heavily into B2B relations. Its enterprise-focused approach recovers unsold goods from manufacturers and diverting them efficiently to grocery stores and social associations. The value proposition Phénix brings to the table is evident in its contribution to cost savings and tax benefits for businesses due to decreased waste and donations to associations.

Comerso stands out for its zero-waste mission, not just facilitating the sale of unsold items but also providing expertise in destocking, donations, and recycling. The company's aim to accelerate the zero-waste transition for companies puts it on the map as both an environmental advocate and a business partner.

Optimiam targets unsold products from popular eateries, resonating with food lovers for its straightforward value offer—connect with nearby restaurants and purchase their leftover gourmet offerings at lower prices.

Zéro-Gâchis locates discounts on products close to their sell-by date within local stores, bridging the gap between bargain seekers and retailers.

Among the applications designed to prevent wastage in consumers' kitchens, Frigo Magic acts as a culinary fairy godmother, suggesting recipes to users based on their current food supplies.

Similarly, Save Eat empowers consumers with recipe recommendations and utilizes notifications to remind users of their food's expiry dates, encouraging timely consumption.

KitchenPal combines the utility of recipe suggestions with efficient pantry management, helping users maintain a balance between their favorite dishes and the stock available at home.

Apps like Linkee and Solaal are geared towards advocacy and social impact by facilitating the collection and distribution of unsold goods to charitable organizations, thus melding generosity with waste reduction. 

Inforamtion

• Number of pages : 30 pages
• Format : Digital and PDF versions
• Last update : 01/09/2023

Summary and extracts

List of charts

• Sales by company age
• Breakdown of software publisher sales
• Workforce of application software companies
• Application software publisher
• Number of French applications in the top 500 downloads on Apple Store and Google Play store
• Breakdown of application revenues on the Apple Store
• Distribution of Too Good To Go partner stores, by type of activity
• Breakdown of food use
• Breakdown of meal consumption
• Share of losses and wastage
• Food loss and waste - Household consumption
• Breakdown of losses and wastage by weight
• What anti-waste mobile applications do you know?
• Have you ever done your shopping using a mobile app that allows you to pick up unsold items at the supermarket or bakery?
• French opinion on the responsibility of the various players in the fight against food waste
• Why do you pay so much attention to food waste?
• Are you sensitive to food waste?
• Growth in Too Good To Go sales
• SimilarWeb comparison of the main anti-waste applications