Today is the UN’s Awareness Day for food loss and waste, and Woolworths customers can help their local food rescues reduce waste and feed people by choosing to round up at the checkout.
The food rescue round-up will run from the 29th of September to the 12th of October, and proceeds from it will boost the NZD one million in cash grants that Woolworths will provide to food rescues across New Zealand during the current financial year.
"Food rescue is incredibly important to us at Woolworths New Zealand, and we can't achieve our aims without the work of our food rescue partners,” said Catherine Langabeer, Head of Sustainability at Woolworths New Zealand.
“As well as donating thousands of tonnes of food, we're so proud to help their work by providing operational funding to about 30 food rescues across New Zealand.”
During its 2025 financial year, Woolworths donated more than 4,000 tonnes of safe, edible surplus food, equivalent to over eight million meals worth approximately NZD 20 million.
The food and cash grants were distributed to a vast range of organisations, from KiwiHarvest, with more than 60 sites across Auckland to Invercargill, to Kai Puku, which collects food exclusively from the Greymouth store, serving much of the West Coast. Woolworths granted Kai Puku NZD 19,000 in food rescue funding last year.
“Thanks to this support, we’ve rescued thousands of kilos of food from Woolworths Greymouth - food that’s helped ease pressure on struggling households and reduce waste. It’s more than free food, it’s dignity, connection, and hope for those who are doing it tough,” said Christine Barton of Te Tai Poutini Kai Puku, Food Rescue West Coast.
Woolworths also sponsored the national and South Island hui of AFRA, the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance.
“Food rescue groups across New Zealand are working harder than ever to get good kai to the people who need it most. Woolworths’ ongoing support is helping to put more meals on tables and strengthening the resilience of the food rescue sector,” said AFRA Executive Director Iain Lees-Galloway.
“Through the round-up, the generosity of Woolworths customers will make a real difference."
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