Tesco has announced it redistributed 88 percent of surplus food across its UK business, surpassing its target of 85 percent, which was set in 2016.
The target was beaten last year primarily due to the supermarket's relationships with partners, including FareShare and Olio.
FareShare remains a long-standing partner, supporting nearly 8,500 community groups and charities with surplus food from Tesco's network of stores and distribution centres. Last year, Tesco donated over 25 million meals via FareShare to charities and community groups.
Tesco has also been working with food sharing app Olio since 2020. Suppose local charities or community groups can not take surplus food. In that case, Tesco makes it free of charge to Olio Food Waste Heroes, who redistributes it to others. In the last 12 months, Tesco donated more than 20 million meals worth of surplus food to those in local communities.
In 2022 and 2023, Tesco donated an average of over three million monthly meals to charities and communities. Its Community Food Connection scheme is Europe's largest surplus food redistribution scheme, donating over 166 million meals since 2016.
Keeping any surplus food to a minimum remains a priority for Tesco while ensuring availability and quality choice for customers. Tesco follows a food waste hierarchy when deciding the right way to handle any food surplus, with food donated to people as a priority – to charities and communities via FareShare and Olio or free-of-charge to Tesco colleagues via its 'Colleague Shop' initiative. Any remaining surplus is converted to pet or animal feed where possible.
Tesco passed its 85 percent surplus food target after the retailer accelerated its target to halve food waste in its operations by 2025, five years ahead of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.
Cheryl Wetherburn, Food Surplus Project Manager at Tesco, said that food waste was something no one wanted to see.
"With so many people facing food insecurity in the UK, we are working harder than ever to make sure food gets to those who need it," said Wetherburn
"We are incredibly proud of the vital work our partners do every day, and thanks to their efforts and the hard work of all our colleagues and volunteers that helps the food reach so many people."
Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive at FareShare, stated that seeing how committed Tesco was to reduce its food waste across all its operations was fantastic.
"The food we receive through Community Food Connection and via Tesco distribution centres as a result of this innovative and award-winning partnership is vital to the charities and community groups we support, who work tirelessly to feed the people in their community that need it most," shared Boswell.
Boswell continued that with Tesco, Fareshare was helping strengthen communities across the UK and make a real difference in people's lives.
Tessa Clarke, CEO and co-founder at Olio said seeing Tesco lead by example in the UK retail industry was wonderful by setting and meeting bold, ambitious food waste reduction targets.
"We're truly proud to partner with them and FareShare, to make sure that good, edible food never goes to waste but ends up benefiting people across the country."
