Supermarket chain Tesco has launched its first ever reverse supermarket with charity partners FareShare and the Trussell Trust - The Give Back Express. The concept is designed to allow shoppers to buy and donate goods, in particular those most in need by food banks which face their most challenging winter ever.
The Give Back Express opened on Poland Street in London's West End for one week only from 25th November and was launched following the Trussell Trust experiencing its busiest August and September on record. Their food banks were so busy that, for the first time ever, they are distributing more food than is being donated.
Inside The Give Back Express visitors will be able to give and gift a range of staple goods as well as plus pre-packaged donation bags. Customers choose and pay for their products but then leave empty handed as Tesco handle the rest of the process, and match the amount spent too. It was also possible for shoppers to donate Clubcard vouchers which were then converted into a financial contribution, simply by scanning a QR code at the shop.
This winter, Tesco has also launched a surplus marketplace to help tackle foodwaste - the Tesco Exchange. More than 3,500 Tesco suppliers can now cut production costs and reduce waste by selling or donating surplus stock or products to other suppliers who can make use of them.
Tesco Exchange is a new online marketplace that matches suppliers who have too much of a product, for example, crops, by-products, ingredients or packaging, with other Tesco suppliers that need it. It is expected that savings in production costs will ultimately benefit customers too.
In the same way that consumer marketplaces work, suppliers can advertise surplus stock for sale on Tesco Exchange, post requests for things they need and agree sales between each other. They can also set alerts for when items they need are posted.
Sarah Bradbury, Tesco Quality Director, said, "Excess stock or waste for one supplier could be a valuable commodity to another. By linking different farmers, producers and manufacturers together, our suppliers can find new ways to trim their bills, reduce waste, and keep delivering great value for our customers."
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Both these initiatives are closely linked to the ongoing cost of living crisis, one that's expected to continue to bite throughout the winter months as more and more people struggle to afford to heat their homes and put regular food on the plate at home. To highlight some of the ongoing changes and issues, we've pulled together a special foodwatching report covering various topics associated to the cost of living crisis.
tfp trendhub subscribers can read the full report here. Those not subscribed can read key takeouts from the report here, as well as finding out how to enquire about receiving out bespoke daily reports.