Changing Cooking for a More Sustainable Future
Electrolux, a leading manufacturer of home appliances, has recently introduced Electrolux GRO, a future concept aimed at reinventing the kitchen by enabling homeowners to enjoy food that is beneficial for both their health and the planet. The concept will reportedly be powered by a collection of modular solutions powered by advanced sensors and AI. The concept will also pull from behavioral science learnings, as well as the planetary health diet from the EAT-Lancet report in order to better guide users towards more sustainable eating habits.
While being the single most critical factor in human health, the way society currently handles food production puts a tremendous strain on the environment. Nearly 37.6% of the total land area of the world is used for agricultural means. And in order to help address current climate change goals, many leaders are looking to change the way people eat, cook and source their food.
“Electrolux has set the ambition to make healthy and sustainable eating the preferred choice by 2030, and GRO is our testament to that. By challenging conventional thinking of what a kitchen is, we have rethought everything from the start – aiming to help change behaviors by making planet-friendly eating effortless and enjoyable through groundbreaking design,” says Tove Chevalley, Head of Electrolux Innovation Hub.
GRO Uses Data and Behavioral Science to Create a Better Kitchen
According to Electrolux, the GRO—which is Swedish for ‘sprout’—concept is entirely built on data and behavioral science. It’s also about exploring how kitchen products can contribute to eating more sustainably by taking inspiration from renowned experts, chefs, early adopters and thousands of consumer participants.
“The way we currently produce food to feed the planet is tragically at the expense of the planet itself. Research shows, one important action we can take to change this is to dramatically reduce consumption of animal source foods in places where they are currently over-consumed,” says Brent Loken, Global Food Lead Scientist at WWF, who was lead author on the EAT-Lancet report when he worked with EAT.
“This will help ensure enough healthy food can be produced for every person on the planet without destroying it. Food must be elevated as a key solution by anyone serious about tackling climate change and restoring nature.”
With this in mind, Electrolux created the “jewelry box,” a storage solution within the GRO kitchen system, nudging people to eat less but better meat and explore new and diverse sources of protein while also engaging in plant-forward cuisines through experimentation of techniques, flavors and seasonings.
The concept’s digital platform will help to visualize the user’s eating habits and planetary impact, providing personal goal setting, guidance, and progress measurement over time. For example, tips on recipes, local produce and sustainable ingredients based on personalized taste, nutritional needs and what is in the fridge, is also a service that GRO can provide.
The insights from GRO will also form the basis for Electrolux product development with the aim that future products will be even better at supporting more sustainable living.