Asda launches new app to tackle food wastage

EACH year an estimated 10m tonnes of food is needlessly thrown away in the UK, worth a total of £17bn.
The entrance to Asda's head office in Leeds, as the store has been named named the cheapest supermarket of 2016The entrance to Asda's head office in Leeds, as the store has been named named the cheapest supermarket of 2016
The entrance to Asda's head office in Leeds, as the store has been named named the cheapest supermarket of 2016

In a bid to address the figure, supermarket chain Asda has developed a new app that provides a platform for suppliers to buy and sell unwanted food to help address the challenge of food waste in its supply chain.

Thought to be a first for the industry, Asda Surplus Swap has been launched this week following a similar model to that of Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree.

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It allows suppliers to offer unwanted product, for example left over ingredients, finished product or vegetable trimmings, to other suppliers who will be able to make use of it. The details and images are uploaded onto the app and any supplier that is interested in using the product can reach out directly and arrange the purchase

The app was launched the Leeds-based supermarket chain’s annual Sustain and Save Exchange (SSE) Conference, which brought together more than 450 suppliers to celebrate success and discuss the challenges and opportunities for the year ahead.

Charlotte Cool, Asda’s vice president of corporate affairs, said: “Wrap estimates that across the UK around 45 per cent of food waste comes from the supply chain, so this industry leading app will give our suppliers the opportunity to redistribute excess food that would otherwise go in the bin.

“Our suppliers are extremely engaged in sharing best practice and ideas with each other - we’ve had of some really innovative partnerships created by our SSE Network, driving efficiencies and best practice, and wanted to go even further this year.”

Owned by Walmart, Asda is signed up to its parent’s target sending zero waste to landfill by 2025.

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