In a move to prevent food waste across the nation, all 500 Marks & Spencer stores have committed to a plan to redistribute food that's nearing its expiration date. Rather than being shipped off to a landfill, these perfectly edible food items will instead be redirected to local organizations.
Considering that there's a misconception that products past their expiration date have automatically gone bad, this is a powerful initiative from the high-end grocer that will hopefully cause consumers and other businesses to rethink their attitudes on food.
To start, 150 Marks & Spencer locations in December will begin trialing the program, before all 500 stores across the UK participate by the spring of 2016. In total, it's estimated that this reallocation of food will play a part in reducing food waste by up to 20% by 2020.
Waste-Reducing Grocery Programs
Marks & Spencer's New Program Aims to Prevent Food Waste
Trend Themes
1. Food Waste Reduction - Marks & Spencer's program aims to prevent food waste by redirecting nearly expired products to local organizations.
2. Expiration Date Education - The initiative hopes to change consumers' attitudes on food by highlighting that products near their expiration date are still perfectly edible.
3. Local Community Integration - By partnering with local organizations, Marks & Spencer's program creates an opportunity for collaboration and community building.
Industry Implications
1. Grocery Stores - Grocery stores have the opportunity to follow in Marks & Spencer's footsteps by implementing food waste reduction programs.
2. Food Distribution - Companies involved in food distribution can explore partnerships with local organizations to prevent food waste and promote community involvement.
3. Waste Management - Waste management companies have the opportunity to focus on food waste reduction by partnering with grocery stores and other businesses.