Supermarket waste
A study in the UK has found that 10 billion pounds worth of food are wasted every year – about a billion pounds still within its use by date. About half of this is still completely edible (read the story here). Estimates in New Zealand are harder to come by but it is unlikely to be much different. I have heard that approximately 40% of the food we produce is thrown out before it is used (unverified). I have seen vast amounts of food in dumpsters that is still absolutely fine. Tubs of organic yogurt not yet expired, sealed bags of sprouts and beans, trolleys full of produce and breads, cups overflowing. The various food banks and social services are under strain as food price increases add pressure to families already struggling.
Most of the supermarkets I have spoken to about this have expressed concern, but claimed their hands are tied by health and safety regulations.
This has become more of a public issue in Dunedin in the last few weeks thanks to several articles in the Star (here). Finding any actual legislation that clearly explains things is difficult; however, Public Health South has said that although food that has reached its ‘used by’ date cannot be donated, there is no restriction on food that has reached its ‘best before’ date – and obviously nothing covering excess stock that leads to food being tossed that has not yet reached either date. The guiding principle is that food given away must be fit for consumption. The crimes act 1961 section 156 only become relevant if due care is not taken and human life is endangered. Given that almost all the food that ends out in the bins gets there via a short walk from a shelf, it is unlikely that it became toxic to the point of endangerment on the way. Obviously care must be taken not to donate food that has been left un-refrigerated all day in the sun by mistake, and anyplace receiving food must ensure systems are in place to ensure quality, but these are not difficult tasks.
In response to all this in Dunedin a local cafe has offered all its left over food, supermarkets are still dragging their heels (but with less excuse).
It would be even better if the extra food was not generated, processed, wrapped, and transported in the first place. But if it is, there are better ways to make use of it than landfill stuffing. A group in Christchurch bikes around picking up food and taking it to the city mission. Something similar is on the way in Dunedin.
By far the best option is to bypass the massive and excessively wasteful system of huge agribusiness and distribution to the one store stocks everything model with enough range to satisfy the god of consumer choice (all bow) insisting that if there are 5 shoppers there must be 25 boxes of cereal to ensure all have equal choice (all bow) and support locally markets. However, since this is not convenient (all rise) and we are likely to be back in the supermarket in a day or two, why not discuss the problem (and yes, I accept that there are real difficulties as well) with the local store owner.
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