Aldi has sold 400,000 ‘surprise’ surplus food bags in the year since its collaboration with food redistribution platform Too Good To Go formally launched.
The discounter released the figures to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the partnership’s launch in Aldi stores nationwide, in February 2023. During that time, Too Good to Go users had saved a combined £8m on Aldi food, which had helped the discounter cut 1,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions from its direct supply chain in food that was saved from landfill, it said.
The figures come after Aldi announced last week that it had met its long-term food waste reduction target ahead of schedule. The supermarket has cut food waste by 57% since 2017, a target originally set for 2030.
Under the partnership, Aldi collects food that is good to eat but close to its sell-by date in ‘Surprise Bags’. Each bag contains the equivalent of £10 worth of Aldi food. Customers then reserve and collect a bag – which is sold for £3.30 – from their local Aldi store via Too Good To Go’s app and website. Aldi extended the service in December, to enable customers to reserve bags up to 24 hours in advance.
“Our partnership with Too Good To Go has been vital in helping Aldi hit its target for reducing food waste early – which has since seen us set a new goal to reduce food waste by 90% before 2030,” said Liz Fox, national sustainability director at Aldi UK.
“Not only has the scheme helped reduce waste, but it also offers a simple and accessible way for customers to save extra money when shopping at Aldi – and we hope even more shoppers will be able to benefit from our Surprise Bags in the year to come.”
Aldi – which first began a small trial with the platform in 2022 – is one of a number of grocers including Planet Organic, Morrisons, Budgens, Londis and Nisa to partner with the app in the UK. Pret a Manger, Costa Coffee and the bakery chain Paul are among some of the hospitality chains to also partner with the app.
“We are extremely proud of our partnership with Aldi and their commitment to helping the planet by preventing waste,” said Sophie Trueman, Too Good To Go country director.
“The success of Aldi’s Surprise Bags in the past year has been essential to our work, saving users money whilst saving the planet from unnecessary carbon emissions.”
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