Sustainability

Southern Co-op extends food waste initiative

Stores included in the scheme are located in Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex,West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Somerset, Surrey, and Wiltshire.

Southern Co-op has extended its Reducing Our Foodprint initiative, which sees stores selling selected products past their ‘best before’ date, to nearly 100 more convenience stores in the south of England.

The Food Standards Agency advises that products past their ‘best before’ date are safe to consume but may not be at the optimum quality intended by the producer.

Southern Co-op’s waste reduction scheme aims to keep as much produce as possible in the food chain and reduce the amount sent off for anaerobic digestion. Products included in the initiative include tinned fruit and veg, dried pasta and rice, confectionery, selected condiments, sugar and sweeteners, coffee, tea and jams, as well as chilled products such as soft fruit and fruit juices.

Fresh products will be sold up to two days after their ‘best before’ date and ambient products will be sold up to seven days after their ‘best before’ date.

Stores which are included in the Reducing our Foodprint initiative are based across Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Somerset, Surrey, and Wiltshire.

Initial trials took place at 13 stores run by the regional co-operative and proved a success with most products being sold within a day of being reduced. Between April and September 2021, there were 16,862 items processed at the 20p price point across 11 of the 13 stores.

Simon Eastwood, Chief Operating Officer for Retail at Southern Co-op, said: “Customer feedback from the trials of this scheme has been largely positive with many of the products being snapped up as soon as they get reduced.

“There are a large number of products that are still good enough to eat past their ‘best before’ date – many of us are already familiar with this in our home environment so this just takes it one step further.”