Discounter’s partnership with giving platform Neighbourly and food-sharing app Olio aims to save 5,000 tonnes of food
Lidl has expanded its partnership with giving platform Neighbourly and food-sharing app Olio in order to cut down on food waste.
The rollout follows a trial across 20 Lidl stores that prevented approximately 1,200kg of food waste every week, with surplus food redistributed to local families, charities and community groups rather than being discarded.
The scheme allows Olio’s network of volunteers, called Food Waste Heroes, to collect surplus food at the end of the trading day when local charities are unable to make evening collections.
Fresh fruit and vegetables, chilled meat, fish, poultry and bakery products are then shared free of charge with neighbours, shelters and community organisations through the Olio platform.
The retailer estimates 5,000 tonnes of surplus food will be distributed annually once the programme is fully rolled out, the equivalent to 11.9 million meals.
Volunteers have highlighted the scale of surplus food being rescued. In York, one Food Waste Hero collected around 25kg of strawberries, 12kg of bananas and several additional crates of food during a single collection.
Georgina Hall, director of corporate affairs at Lidl GB, said: “Real change requires a community effort, and we are incredibly grateful to our store teams, charity partners and the dedicated Food Waste Heroes who are rescuing good quality food for those who need it most.”
The initiative is part of Lidl’s commitment to reducing food waste by 70 per cent by 2030.
