Rising Grocery Costs Change the Game as 87% of People are Rethinking How They Shop, New Research from Too Good To Go Finds

New Research commissioned by Too Good To Go Reveals: 

• 87% of people say the rising cost of living has affected how they shop for food
• 58% would use food waste apps like Too Good To Go if prices rise further
•  95% are taking steps to reduce food waste at home

As grocery prices continue to climb, 87% of Irish shoppers report they’ve been forced to rethink how they shop and 87% say they’re now more vigilant about food waste according to new research* from Too Good To Go. With 58% of people open to using surplus food apps, like Too Good To Go if food prices rise further, Irish households are increasingly seeking smarter, more sustainable ways to stretch their budgets.

Too Good To Go, the world’s largest marketplace for surplus food, connects users with local businesses offering Surprise Bags of unsold good food at a reduced price. Whether planning weekly meals or grabbing a last-minute treat, the app is helping people stretch their food budget while reducing waste.

Irish households are getting creative to cut down on food waste, with 47% turning to practical solutions like freezing leftovers, a popular strategy as families get ready for the busy back to school season. Still, nearly half of people (45%) say their biggest struggle is food going off before it can be used, making it tough for parents to keep ingredients fresh and on hand for school lunches and weeknight dinners. Across Europe 10% of food waste stems from confusion over date labels**. However, as long as food has been stored properly and looks, smells and tastes okay, lots of food is safe to eat well past the best before date. Throwing food away also takes an emotional toll, with almost half (46%) of those surveyed admitting they feel guilty when it happens. To help manage this guilt and waste less, Too Good To Go encourages people to trust their senses and simply look, smell and taste, before they waste.

Machaela O’Leary, Sales Manager at Too Good To Go Ireland, said “We know the cost of living is a concern for many families right now, and our mission is to make it easier to access great food while reducing waste. This research shows that people are looking for simple, practical ways to shop smarter and save money. Too Good To Go helps you do just that – saving money and preventing perfectly good food from going to waste.”

Joao Lucas, a Too Good To Go All-Star user based in Dublin, added “Too Good To Go helped me hugely when I was on a tight budget during my PhD — I was saving between €20 and €60 a week. It made eating out more affordable and added a bit of excitement too. My tip for new users is to try the ‘play it safe or be spicy’ approach — some days I go for my favourite spots, other days I try something completely new. It is a fun, low effort way to save money, reduce food waste and support local businesses. Sometimes all it takes is a tap and a swipe to make a positive difference.”

Too Good To Go’s tips for cutting costs and reducing food waste:

•      Shop with realistic portion sizes in mind to avoid overbuying
•      Freeze leftovers for future meals
•      Use the Too Good To Go app to rescue surplus food at a discount
•      Plan meals around what is in your Too Good To Go Surprise Bag
•      Track what gets eaten to improve future food planning

By helping to reduce that waste while making quality food more affordable, Too Good To Go is enabling people to make meaningful changes — one meal at a time.

Download the Too Good To Go app today and help fight food waste – one Surprise Bag at a time.

Methodology: 

*The research was conducted by One Poll, among a sample of 1000 ROI Adults (Nat Rep 18+). The data was collected in July 2025. One Poll abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. One Poll is also a member of the British Polling Council.

** European Commission Study on date marking and food waste prevention