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Southern Co-op to give food a second lease of life

4 July 2022

Southern Co-op to give food a second lease of life

Photo 1: Too Good To Go
Photo 2: Too Good To Go app
Photo 3: Goods past their best before date
Audio: Soundbite of Gemma Lacey

Convenience store shoppers and local good causes are benefitting from discounted food and surplus product as Southern Co-op unveils a new programme to keep as many products as possible in the human food chain.

The independent co-operative, which has just under 200 retail stores, is currently rolling out the new food pathway across all of its stores - starting with products with use-by dates, before targeting food past its best before date.

The first stage was launched last Monday with the start of a full roll out of Too Good To Go Magic Bags. Too Good To Go is the world's largest surplus food app that lets users rescue surprise ‘Magic Bags' of delicious, unsold food from shops and restaurants so it doesn't go to waste.Via the free-to-download app, customerscan buysurplus food and drink products from local Southern Co-op siteswhich are near to their expiry date.

The second stage will see the rollout of other initiatives designed to save food that has gone past its best before date - either by reducing it to 20p or donating it to local good causes.

Gemma Lacey, Southern Co-op's Director for Sustainability and Communications, said: "All of these programmes involve a different method of improving food sustainability. By combining them together and making sure they are right for each store, we hope we can prevent food from going off to be recycled and get more into the hands of customers and good causes.

"It will benefit our customers as snapping up a Magic Bag could help those who are finding budgets tight as well as dozens of charities who can make use of goods past their best before date - which is a date that relates to quality, not the safety of the product."

All store waste is currently diverted from landfill and any unsold food sent off for anaerobic digestion, with food broken down to produce biogas and bio-fertiliser.

As part ofthe Too Good To Go trial, Magic Bags of food will be available to rescue for just a third of the cost at £3.29 - with an original value of £10 or more.

Originally trialled at 12 stores since 31 January and a further 26 from 19 April, so far more than 7,000 Magic Bags have been saved by customers.

Simon Eastwood, Southern Co-op's Chief Operating Officer for Retail, said: "The initiatives relating to best before dates will be rolled out over the summer and will see every store either donating food and drink to local good causes or having products reduced to 20p.

"As we are mainly convenience stores, it hasn't been beneficial for charities to collect food from our stores in the past as the amount and type of food at the end of the day is often unreliable. On some days it could be a few bread products but on other days it could be a range of fruit, veg or pasta.

"However, thanks to our partner Neighbourly, charities and local community groups can now find out what products our stores can donate before they leave their base, which makes a big difference and will help to make it a success."

At the end of each day, the store notifies a local connected good cause through Neighbourly about which food and drink items are available to collect. If the charity is unable to pick up, then it is offered to a second linked local cause.

This has already been tested at 27 stores in Bristol and Bournemouth since 21 March and a total of four tonnes of food has already been donated. This is the equivalent of £17,000 worth of food and 9,000 meals that are going to individuals in need.

Recipient of the scheme, The Matthew Tree Project in Bristol, said: "We give the produce out to our clients in our food deliveries. This contributes towards the balanced range of foods which we deliver to our clients, enabling struggling and hungry families and individuals in Bristol to eat."

Southern Co-op is currently working towards ambitious science-based targets to cut direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the business by 2030, supported by a climate action pathway of planned activity and an initial investment of £5.8m.

To view Southern Co-op's long-term strategy including its commitment to climate change and responsible business, visitwww.thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/our-plan/. Or for more information on Too Good To Go visit www.toogoodtogo.co.uk.

-Ends-

Contact:

Southern Co-op - Felicity Hay, Press and PR Officer,press@southerncoops.co.uk, 02392 222995

Too Good To Go -press@toogoodtogo.co.uk, 07519993364 / 07958126361

Neighbourly - Jane Halstead, Brand and Communications Lead,jane.halstead@neighbourly.com, 0776 588 7760

Notes to Editors:

About Southern Co-op

Southern Co-op (southernco-op.co.uk) is a regional, independent co-operative operating more than 300 food, funeral and Starbucks coffee branches across the south of England as well as Welcome franchise stores. The large co-operative has a commitment to sustainable business and a promise to provide a fair, fresh approach, for all. This is achieved through investment in its communities, the action it takes to protect its environment and its support for local food producers. Owned by more than 135,000 members, it has an annual turnover of £490m and more than 4,000 colleagues.

About Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go has a simple mission: to make sure all food gets eaten, not wasted.

In 2016, a group of entrepreneurs witnessed restaurant staff throwing away fresh food. The food's only problem? It hadn't sold in time, and no one was around to take it off the restaurant's hands. The group pioneered a seamless solution: an app that lists businesses' unsold food so local diners can find, buy and enjoy it.

Now, thousands of Magic Bags are rescued from businesses such as supermarkets, restaurants, and bakeries every day. The success of the app powers Too Good To Go's wider efforts to drive a food waste movement, working with schools, industries and governments to build a planet-friendly food system.

Too Good To Go by numbers:

  • 17 countries
  • 145 million meals saved globally
  • 12 million meals saved in the UK
  • 59 million app downloads globally
  • 159,000 partner stores globally
  • 2020 became a registered B-Corp

Find out more at www.toogoodtogo.co.uk, or visit us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.                    

About Neighbourly

Neighbourly is a multi-award-winning community investment and engagement platform, connecting businesses with thousands of local vetted good causes to make a positive and measurable impact in our neighbourhoods. 

Companies use Neighbourly to donate volunteer time, funds and surplus products to causes across the UK and Ireland, through CSR and sustainability initiatives.

As the UK market leader in community investment, Neighbourly has helped disburse £18m in financial donations, 82,000 hours of employee volunteering and redistribute 90m meals worth of food surplus.

Neighbourly was one of the UK's first B Corporations, a for-profit company certified by the non-profit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.