One Square Inch Saves 70 Tons a Week / MAKRO "LIFE EXTENDING STICKERS"

The problem

In Colombia, 6.1 million tons of food gets thrown away every year, and a large portion of that is fruits and vegetables. People see produce that looks too ripe and decide it's "done for," tossing it out—even though it's actually at its most delicious right when it's ripe. MAKRO, across 22 stores, was looking for a cheap, simple way to cut down on this waste.

The insight

What they used were the stickers already stuck on fruits and vegetables. "Whether it's a Super Bowl ad or a one-inch-square sticker, you can change behavior," says the CCO of Grey Colombia. It was an idea that turned a tiny surface nobody was really using into a space for information.

The idea

The stickers were designed to match the color changes of ripening, suggesting dishes you could make at each stage. For bananas, as they go from green to black, the suggestions shift—from ice cream, to tempura, to cupcakes. Five types of produce were covered: tomatoes, bananas, avocados, mangoes, and papayas. The store displays were also reorganized by ripeness, with riper produce sold at a lower price.

What happened

The shelf life of the fruits and vegetables extended by an average of 6 days, and the time they stayed on display in stores extended by 4 days. The projected reduction in food waste is 70 tons a week. The campaign won Gold at Cannes Lions in 2023 and the Grand Prix at the Clio Awards the following year.

Afterthought

A one-inch-square sticker, 70 tons a week. I really love this one. It quietly breaks the assumption that advertising has to be "big" and "flashy." No fancy technology, no elaborate gimmick—just handing someone a little moment of awareness. And that's enough to get people moving, enough to change society. I want to do work like this too.

Awards

• Cannes Lions Gold 2023

Featured in

• What Was Already There Became the MediumFrom chalk to banknotes: 11 media nobody had to buy

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