Nationwide roll out of Waste Not fruit and veg boxes

A new food waste initiative that is set to save more than 950,000kg of food waste per year has now been launched nationwide.

Lidl Ireland’s Waste Not fruit and veg boxes, priced at €3, will contain at least 5kg of mixed fruit and vegetables from the store shelves.

The fruit and vegetables included in the boxes will have come from multi packs where some product has become slightly damaged and removed, and the remaining items which are perfectly good to eat are then used to make up the Waste Not boxes.

Following a successful trial in seven stores, Lidl Ireland will roll out the Waste Not boxes to their network of 176 stores nationwide.

Throughout the trial period, which launched in September 2022, more than 3,700 Waste Not boxes were sold preventing over 18,500kg of food going to waste and it is estimated that the nationwide rollout will save a further 950,000kg of food waste per year.

Lidl’s Waste Not boxes can help people eat a healthy diet while also saving money. The approximate full retail value of the produce in the boxes is €6-€8.

These boxes are picked and packed daily by the retailer’s dedicated in-store green leaders, who conduct freshness checks on fresh produce four times a day.

Boxes will be available to customers daily until stocks last every day, at which point, any leftover boxes are given to local good causes through Lidl’s surplus food redistribution partnership with FoodCloud.

Welcoming the launch of this initiative, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, Minister Ossian Smyth, TD said: “Ireland generated over 770,000 tonnes of food waste in 2020 with vegetables the most wasted food type in supermarkets, followed by fruit. I welcome this initiative from Lidl Ireland and look forward to seeing reduction in good fruit and vegetables going to waste.’

Robert Ryan, Chief Operating Officer, Lidl Ireland said: “We are delighted to be rolling out the Waste Not fruit and veg boxes nationwide from today. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our trial, and we know the benefits from this will be felt across the board – both with our customers who can save a bit more on their weekly shop, and for the planet, in helping to combat a big issue of fresh food going to waste.

“We hope that these boxes will help our customers with healthier eating habits, while also helping them be savvier with their money – it is a win-win for all.”

Lidl Ireland has been working with FoodCloud since 2017 and through this partnership has redistributed the equivalent of over 3.5 million meals to charities across Ireland and each day are building on this impact.