Mayo customers help save food from going to waste
ALDI Ireland and Too Good To Go are celebrating the second anniversary of their strong partnership, marking a key milestone in their joint efforts to combat food waste.
Over the past two years, this collaboration has successfully saved over 250,000 'Surprise Bags' of food from going to waste, making a substantial impact on the environment and communities across Ireland.
Mayo customers saved the most bags on Saturdays in October. The ALDI store in Ballyhaunis has been the top performer in the county, showcasing the community's strong commitment to reducing food waste.
The partnership has also made a significant environmental impact, avoiding a total of 675,000kg of CO2e emissions, contributing to a more sustainable future. For context, the average person in Ireland emits 78kg of CO2e per year.
In terms of land use, the partnership has avoided 700,000m² annually. This is equivalent to the area of 56,000 single parking lots in Europe, 2,682 tennis courts, or 98 football fields.
Additionally, the partnership has avoided 202,500,000 litres of water, which is equivalent to 1,257,764 filled bathtubs or 81 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
As fellow SDG Champions for the 2024/25 programme, ALDI and Too Good To Go are working together to tackle food waste nationwide while also minimising its impact on the environment. ALDI has committed to reducing its food waste by 50% by 2030 through reporting, waste reduction, food redistribution and exploring value chains, resulting in less consumable food being sent to anaerobic digestion.
In 2018, ALDI was among the first supermarkets to join the Retail Action Group’s Food Waste Charter, committing to a long-term approach to tackling food waste, recommitting to this in 2023.
Commenting on this milestone, Rachel Nugent, national sustainability manager at ALDI Ireland, said: “We are thrilled to celebrate this milestone with Too Good To Go. Saving over 250,000 Surprise Bags in the past two years is a testament to our commitment to reducing food waste and supporting our communities.
“This achievement emphasises the dedication of our team and the incredible support from our customers, who have embraced this initiative wholeheartedly. We look forward to continuing this journey and making even greater strides in the fight against food waste through this partnership."
Machaela O’Leary, sales manager at Too Good To Go Ireland, added: “At Too Good To Go, our mission is to ensure that good food is enjoyed, not wasted, and working with ALDI Ireland has been incredibly rewarding. Together we’ve made a meaningful impact in saving food from going to waste while offering customers great meals at an affordable price.
“The success of this partnership demonstrates what we can achieve when businesses and communities come together for a common cause. It’s a win-win for everyone involved, and we’re excited to keep evolving our partnership with ALDI.”
ALDI’s Too Good To Go Surprise Bags cost just €3.99 each and contain at least €12 worth of food approaching its sell-by or use-by date. They can be saved at all ALDI’s 163 stores across Ireland.
To celebrate the milestone of 250,000 Surprise Bags being saved, ALDI and Too Good To Go are giving you the chance to win a €2,500 ALDI gift card. To enter, simply purchase any ALDI Surprise Bag on the Too Good To Go app between now and March 23 and register your contact details and order number at https://contest.tgtg.to/ALDI.