How can supermarkets reduce food waste? 

Most big supermarkets have an even bigger problem — what should they do with all their commercial food waste? It’s estimated that, as a nation, we throw away 9.5 million tonnes of food every single year, and supermarkets are a major player in that statistic.
With the world growing ever more concerned with reducing waste, how can supermarkets get on board and dispose of their excess food responsibly? 

Luckily, it’s possible for even the largest of corporations to play its part. So, let’s dive in and explore the three main ways that supermarkets can reduce their food waste. 

• Food banks & charities 

Making an arrangement with a local food bank or charity can successfully redirect food waste away from the bin and towards people who really need it. Whether supermarkets set up a donation basket at the checkouts or whether they deliver at the end of the day, charities are a real option for stores to redistribute their leftover food. 

• Food collection apps 

If a supermarket wants to make some profit from their waste, food collection apps are a popular choice. 

For example, the app Too Good to Go enables users to pay a reduced fee for a collection of surplus food at the end of the day from restaurants, cafes and supermarkets. This ensures their food waste can be enjoyed by someone else and with the incentive of a bit of extra money. 

Another app is Karma, which recently expanded its coverage from Sweden to London. Branding itself as a ‘food rescue app’, this company is passionate about reducing food waste. Their app connects consumers with retailers, enabling customers to purchase excess food at a reduced price. 

• Food recycling into renewable energy 

Another option is food waste recycling to transform it into biogas for the National Grid. Sounds too good to be true, right? 

Transforming supermarket waste

Here at Bio Collectors, we are at the forefront of food waste recycling in the UK. We collect food waste from supermarkets and transform it into biogas certified for use in the National Grid — meaning that supermarket waste quite literally powers homes and businesses across the country. Food waste also becomes biofuel to power our vehicles. 

This closed loop recycling ensures that supermarket food waste really doesn’t go to waste at all. For example, we’ve worked with Sainsbury’s in over 220 stores across London to collect their food waste and generate renewable energy. Each store enjoys a collection schedule that suits them and Bio Collectors now recycles almost 150 tonnes of food waste from Sainsbury’s every single month. 

This service is easy, affordable and totally flexible to each supermarket — making it simple to dispose of food waste that will power the future and help save the planet. 

Get started with organic recycling today. Here at Bio Collectors, we’re transforming London one business at a time. Operating within the M25, we collect and recycle food waste from supermarkets and other businesses throughout the region — taking it to our state-of-the-art anaerobic digestion plant to be transformed into biogas for the National Grid. Contact us to learn more!