Grocery retailers worldwide are under growing scrutiny and consumer pressure to reduce plastic waste. Single-use plastics, such as shrink wrap, plastic covers, foam trays, and cling film, are common in packaging for meat, deli, seafood, and produce displays. But these materials contribute heavily to environmental pollution and often impose hidden costs tied to plastic production, disposal, and even food spoilage.

Meanwhile, refrigeration and display environments tend to dry out perishables, accelerating turnover and requiring more packaging to protect them. Misting and fogging systems provide an alternative; by maintaining moisture in the display case, humidification technologies allow stores to preserve freshness without relying so heavily on plastic coverings. This not only helps cut plastic usage but also reduces shrinkage (loss of product), enhances appearance, and can improve both sustainability credentials and profitability.

The Problem With Plastic Packaging in Perishables

Plastic packaging is often seen as essential for protecting perishable foods, keeping moisture in, shielding them from contaminants, and extending shelf life. However, the problem is two-fold: first, plastic itself has environmental and economic costs (manufacturing, waste, and recycling challenges), and second, much of the plastic used is not strictly necessary; it often acts as a band-aid for other environmental control issues (like low humidity) that could be addressed in more effective ways.

Despite environmental and sustainability arguments, the plastic packaging market for food continues to grow.

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Pros and Cons of Plastic Packaging for Perishables

As pressures mount from regulators, consumers, and supply-chain accountability, retailers need to reconsider whether plastic covers and wraps are the best option. Below is a table of pros and cons of plastic packaging for fresh food and perishables.

Pros	Cons
Plastic packaging is very commonly used for fresh food and perishables, where moisture protection is cited as justification.	Plastic wrapping can impact health perceptions negatively. Many customers associate plastic wrapping with the notion of microplastics that enter our bodies and brains.
Plastic may give the impression of more polished or better produce.	It increases trash pollution. Many plastic wraps are thrown away and not recycled, contributing to pollution and higher costs for their disposal.
	Plastic may impact brand perception. Everyone has had the unpleasant experience of opening a package of fruits, only to realize some of them are spoiled. The customer must then return to the store to replace the items.
	For the store, hidden spoiled produce represents a loss of product, because they need to discard the whole package — and they are also subject to diminished brand reputation.
	From a lifecycle viewpoint, plastic production and disposal generate greenhouse gases and consume energy and resources.

How Moisture Retention Helps Preserve Freshness

Maintaining proper humidity in display environments is a key factor in preserving perishables. Moisture loss in the air, caused by dry or overly cold refrigerated air, pulls water from fresh foods, leading to dehydration, shriveling, color fading, weight loss, texture degradation, and reduced shelf life.

Fogging Systems Help Maintain Relative Humidity Inside Display Cases

Misting and fogging systems, especially those that produce very fine droplets or fog, help maintain relative humidity, slow moisture loss, and thus preserve the quality of meat, seafood, and produce quality. Retailers using humidification have found measurable improvements in freshness and substantial reductions in waste and shrinkage.

Misting and fogging can help reduce dehydration, especially in the following products:

Seafood: Examples show that seafood can naturally lose up to 10% of its weight through moisture loss when not hydrated; misting or fogging can reduce or recover that loss.

Fresh meat: High-pressure fogging can reduce moisture loss by over 60%, extending shelf life dramatically from a few hours to one day or more.

Produce: Thin skinned produce like zucchini and squash would regain 6% in weight lost by refrigeration and handling.

The right humidity also preserves visual appeal, texture, and taste, as fresh, unwrapped products are more attractive, which influences consumer purchase decisions.

Consumer Perception of Unwrapped Fresh Foods

Consumers are increasingly conscious of packaging waste and often associate unpacked or minimally wrapped produce with environmental responsibility. At the same time, they expect fresh food to have a good appearance, vivid color, minimal wilting, and a firm texture.

Therefore, reducing plastic while maintaining freshness is not just a technical challenge; it's a brand and marketing opportunity. Displays that look fresh, vibrant, and natural tend to be more appealing, increasing trust and purchase willingness.

A growing percentage of shoppers prefer products that they can inspect visually and by touch, rather than those fully wrapped. This trend, fueled by a health-minded shopping approach, builds confidence at the point of purchase. At the same time, eco-sustainability is becoming a factor in food purchasing decisions. Stores that reduce visible plastic use often gain goodwill and customer loyalty.

Fresh food represented 42% of grocery sales in the U.S in 2023. Obvious freshness encourages shoppers’ trust. Clean, well-humidified displays help unwrapped products avoid looking droopy or dry, which is often a barrier to customer acceptance.

Cost Savings From Reduced Packaging

Using less plastic isn’t just an environmental win; it also reduces direct costs (material, production) and hidden costs (labor, waste disposal, shrinkage). Plastic wrap, covers, and trays cost money; labor is needed to wrap, package, and remove or dispose of the packaging. Moreover, product loss from spoilage or dehydration is a cost. When misting and fogging or humidification systems reduce these losses, retailers often see improvements to their bottom lines, with savings that can sometimes justify investment in the systems themselves.

• Direct savings: Less spending on plastic film, shrink wrap, trays, and covers.
• Labor savings: Less staff time needed to wrap or re-wrap products, shrink wrap, or remove moisture damage.
• Reduced product loss: A cut in shrink (weight loss, spoilage) leads to more sellable inventory. Fewer returned products go to waste.
• Energy savings: High humidity can reduce evaporative losses, and some mist systems contribute to temperature stabilization or evaporative cooling.
• Return on investment: Many misting and fogging systems installations pay off in six months or less due to shrinkage, packaging, and labor savings.

Case Studies: Retailers Cutting Plastic Successfully

Manufacturers and grocery retailers are increasingly reducing single-use plastic. Some big brands have already piloted or fully implemented misting and fogging and humidification systems to reduce plastic and improve freshness, with encouraging results. Learning from them can guide other stores that are considering similar changes.

• Prodew’s customers report that their humidification systems extend the shelf life of meat and seafood displays by 1.5–2 days.
• In produce misting and fogging, one retailer observed an over 75% reduction in product loss when switching from minimal to proper misting and fogging systems. Leafy greens that would normally wilt after just a 3%–5% water loss were kept fresh longer.

How Prodew Products Are Leading the Plastic-Free Fresh Display Revolution

Prodew’s line of misting and fogging systems, particularly its FogMist model, provides grocery retailers with powerful tools to reduce their dependency on plastic packaging while preserving freshness, appearance, and product quality. With proven shelf-life extension for meat and seafood, drastic reductions in produce shrinkage, and substantial savings in packaging and labor, Prodew demonstrates that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

Retailers adopting Prodew systems can expect improved customer perception, reduced waste, and measurable cost savings, all while making a meaningful impact on plastic waste.

In a market where consumers care about both fresh food and responsible practices, Prodew is helping lead the way. Contact our experts today.

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