Join Us to End Hunger and Waste in Our Community – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

Report on the Kroger Co. Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Campaign

Campaign Overview and Objectives

A community hunger relief campaign, titled Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, was initiated through a partnership involving Kroger, NBC 5, and Telemundo 39. The campaign is scheduled to run from Wednesday, November 12, to Tuesday, December 2. The primary objectives are to address food insecurity and reduce food waste, particularly during the holiday season.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The initiative’s framework is in direct alignment with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The campaign directly confronts the issue of food insecurity, which affects over 44 million Americans. By raising funds and providing food, the program aims to ensure access to sufficient, nutritious food.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: A core component of the campaign is the reduction of food waste. This addresses the challenge highlighted by the fact that nearly one-third of all food in the United States is discarded, amounting to an estimated 74 million tons annually. The program seeks to create more sustainable patterns of consumption and production by redirecting surplus food.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The campaign is a model of a multi-stakeholder partnership, bringing together a major corporation (Kroger), media organizations (NBC 5, Telemundo 39), and local non-profit hunger relief agencies (North Texas Food Bank, Tarrant Area Food Bank) to achieve shared sustainability objectives.

Operational Strategies and Impact

The campaign employs a multi-faceted strategy to achieve its goals, contributing to both SDG 2 and SDG 12.

• Enhancing Food Affordability: Strategies include maintaining low grocery prices, offering convenient shopping options, and providing rewards memberships to reduce costs for consumers.
• Waste Reduction in Operations: Kroger’s facility management is optimized to extend the shelf life of fresh food, which directly contributes to reducing waste within the supply chain.
• Direct Community Support: The campaign facilitates the donation of fresh food and financial resources to local hunger relief agencies. To date, this initiative has provided the equivalent of 3.9 billion meals through food and monetary contributions.

Methods for Public Contribution

The campaign provides several avenues for community participation, ensuring that 100% of donations are allocated to local hunger relief agencies.

1. In-Store Point-of-Sale Donations: Customers at any Kroger retail location can make a donation at the register.
2. Round-Up Feature: Shoppers have the option to round up their purchase total to the nearest dollar.
3. Fixed-Amount Donations: Donations of specific amounts, such as $1, $5, or $10, can be made at the register.
4. Online Donations: Contributions can also be made via the campaign’s online donation portal.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article primarily addresses two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  This goal is central to the article, as the campaign’s name is “Zero Hunger | Zero Waste.” The text explicitly states the campaign’s purpose is to “fight hunger,” “help people enjoy the holidays without hunger,” and “improve food security.” It highlights the problem of “more than 44 million Americans struggle with hunger” and details efforts to provide meals and funds to local hunger relief agencies.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  This goal is addressed through the “Zero Waste” component of the campaign. The article highlights the problem of unsustainable consumption by stating that “Nearly 1/3 of food products in the U.S. are thrown away and an approximate 74 million tons of food goes uneaten every year.” The campaign’s aim to “minimize food waste” and Kroger’s efforts to extend the shelf life of fresh food directly connect to the principles of responsible consumption and production patterns.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the following specific targets can be identified:

• Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food

  The article directly relates to this target by focusing on ending hunger for vulnerable populations. The campaign’s mission to “make sure that fresh, nutritious food has the intended purpose to feed people” and its donation of “3.9 billion meals in food and funds” to local food banks like the North Texas Food Bank are direct actions toward ensuring year-round access to food for those in need.

• Target 12.3: Halve per capita global food waste

  This target is explicitly addressed by the “Zero Waste” part of the campaign. The article provides the context for this target by citing statistics on food waste in the U.S. (“Nearly 1/3 of food products in the U.S. are thrown away”). The campaign’s goal to “minimize food waste” and internal company practices like managing facilities to “extend the shelf life of fresh food” are concrete efforts to reduce food waste at the retail level.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article mentions and implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Indicator for Target 2.1 (Prevalence of food insecurity)

  The article provides a baseline metric for food insecurity by stating that “more than 44 million Americans struggle with hunger.” This figure serves as an indicator of the scale of the problem the campaign is trying to address, which aligns with the concept of measuring the prevalence of undernourishment or food insecurity (Indicator 2.1.1).

• Indicator for Target 12.3 (Amount of food waste)

  The article provides specific data points that serve as indicators of food waste, directly related to Indicator 12.3.1 (Food waste index). These include:

  • “Nearly 1/3 of food products in the U.S. are thrown away.”
  • “an approximate 74 million tons of food goes uneaten every year.”

  These statistics quantify the problem of food waste that the campaign aims to reduce.

• Indicator of Action/Progress

  The article also provides indicators of the campaign’s direct impact and progress, such as the “3.9 billion meals in food and funds” donated to hunger relief agencies. This metric quantifies the effort being made to achieve the goals of ending hunger and reducing waste.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: nbcdfw.com