Morrisons Embraces Unique App To Help Fight Food Waste in the UK

Food waste is a problem, and one of the primary sources of that waste comes from stores throwing out unsold food. While everyone agrees food should go to people who need it, the challenge has been finding a way to distribute the food in the time between when it’s not fresh enough to stay on the store’s shelves, and when it’s no longer safe to eat.

According to Wales Online, though, the supermarket chain Morrisons is embracing an app that should help solve this dilemma.

A Technological Solution To A Distribution Problem

Morrisons collects all of their fruits, vegetables, bakery, and deli items that are just past their best-by date, and puts at least 10lbs of food into each mystery boxes. The store then scans the boxes, which shows them as available on the Morrisons’ store app. Customers can then select their local store, pay for their £3 ($4 USD) per box, and pick it up.

By using this app to make sure everyone knows what’s available, quantities, and where it is (as well as paying the steeply reduced price), this allows the supermarket to get more food into the hands of people who need it.

Once this app proves successful, it could make a serious, meaningful impact on the amount of food waste major stores generate, as well as on the amounts of food scarcity around the world. While this isn’t a silver bullet, it’s a step in the right direction.