About one-third of all the food that's sold at grocery stores end up being wasted when they reach their "use by" date, creating a massive food waste problem for the environment. "Use by" dates are typically printed on food products as an indicator of when the food is at its peak quality and freshness, according to the manufacturer's estimation. However, while the shelf life of these products, as we know it, is over, it doesn't mean they can't have a second life. That's why SuperMax supermarkets decided to do their part to minimize the problem of food waste by using the same foods they sell in their stores to create a fresh recycling program based on expired foods.

We created a mobile-led solution to address the problem of food waste and promote sustainability called REUSABLES. The educational program showcases the alternative uses of products sold in supermarkets by using an augmented reality filter and computer vision, both on Instagram and the reusables.ai website. When you point your smartphone camera at the labels of participating products, the filter instantly transforms them into new ones to display their alternative uses once they expire. When the alternative uses are shown, users can access to video tutorials to learn how to put into practice the life hacks on each label.This mobile solution effectively prevents products from ending up in landfills by changing people's perception of "use by" dates to "use for" the environment reducing food waste and its associated environmental impacts. 


The expiration dates on food products are contributing to a huge environmental problem. Supermarkets are part of this global issue. This is because 1/3 of all the food that's sold at grocery stores is wasted once it reaches their "use by" date. That's why SuperMax, the biggest online grocery store in Puerto Rico decided to be part of the solution to create a behavioral change among consumers to reduce reliance on "use by" dates as the sole indicator of food safety. Therefore, we took on the task of changing the negative perception of "use by" dates to a more positive one for the environment. We also wanted to generate conversation about the reusability of products to reduce waste. With this in mind, the REUSABLES movement was born, in which we used augmented reality technology to turn product labels in supermarkets into advocates for sustainability and educate about their alternative uses.

To showcase the alternative uses of products that you can buy in supermarkets and prevent them from ending up in landfills once they have expired, we created a filter that uses AR and computer vision to digitally change the "use by" label to "use for" with multiple life hacks for the environment. The filters were developed for the website reusables.ai and the Instagram platform, both of which directed users to watch videos that demonstrated step-by-step how to give the products a second life. SuperMax used all of their private label products for this environmental education program, and shortly thereafter, several globally renowned brands such as Skippy, Hellmann's, and Heinz, as well as major local brands of coffee, rice and milk joined in to make reusability a new trend among the consumers. The filter is available to be used anywhere in the world where they sell the participating products.

"Reusables" has become the first Instagram filter that educates about food reusability to reduce waste. Since its launch, several globally recognized brands such as Heinz, Skippy, as well as several local brands of coffee, milk, and rice, have joined the REUSABLES movement. Over 30 media outlets have reviewed the initiative, receiving:

+10 million impressions

+1,000% engagement in filter usage vs. objectives

+400% increase in website traffic