A larger share of Australian consumers practice more sustainable food behaviors at home than Americans. The October 2025 CFDAS Consumer Food Insights Survey asked respondents how often they engaged in three key sustainability behaviors over the past 30 days: reducing food waste, recycling food packaging, and composting food scraps.

The biggest difference appears in composting habits. Nearly half of Americans (46%) report never composting, compared to just 26% of Australians. Conversely, 47% of Australians compost always or often, versus only 28% of Americans. Recycling rates also differ significantly, with 75% of Australians reporting they always or often recycle food packaging, compared to 56% of Americans. Food waste reduction efforts are more common overall, with 63% of Americans and 71% of Australians reporting they sometimes, often, or always take steps to minimize waste.

The findings highlight that while sustainable food behaviors are not yet mainstream habits in either nation, cultural and infrastructure differences may contribute to higher adoption rates in Australia.

Follow along with our monthly CFI reports to learn more about consumer food behaviors.