Lidl expands Olio partnership to cut food waste across 200 stores
Lidl and Neighbourly have expanded their partnership with food-sharing app Olio to give more people the chance to collect surplus food from Lidl stores for free at the end of the day.
The move means the offering is now available at around 200 Lidl shops as the retailer looks to roll it out nationwide by the end of the year.
Subscribe to TRBThe rollout follows the successful trial of evening collections in 20 Lidl stores which Lidl said has already prevented around 1,200kg of food waste per week. Once live nationally, the initiative is expected to redistribute 5,000 tonnes of surplus food each year, the equivalent of nearly 11.9 million meals.
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.
“With our sights set on a nationwide rollout by the end of this year, this expanding partnership will soon empower communities to rescue up to nearly 12 million meals every single year. This collaboration will make a huge impact on the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities everywhere.”
The scheme relies on volunteers, known as Food Waste Heroes, to pick up food for redistribution when charities are unable to collect the surplus items in the evening. Fresh products like chilled meat, fish, poultry, and Lidl’s popular bakery treats can now be collected by dedicated Olio volunteers who ensure they go straight to local people.
Lidl said the initiative is an important step towards its mission to slash food waste by 70% by 2030,
