Member Article

Retailer helps divert millions of tonnes of food from going to waste

A Yorkshire-based company that sells short-dated groceries online has helped prevent over four million tonnes of goods from going to waste.

One of the UK’s best kept secrets, Sheffield-based Approved Food is the UK’s largest exclusively online retailer of short-dated food and drink, with around 6,000 products on offer at any given time, ranging from groceries, confectionery, soft drinks, household goods, wines and spirits to health and beauty products and luxury gifts.

Since launching 10 years ago with just 50 items, Approved Food has expanded the choice available immensely, processing more than 850,000 orders containing in excess of 60 million items, for 250,000 customers who on average save a whopping £66 on their weekly shop. In total, shoppers have saved a combined £40m on the RRP of the goods they bought.

This equates to more than four million tonnes of perfectly usable goods being prevented from heading to waste. According to WRAP, the national waste prevention body, more than seven million tonnes of food is thrown away in the UK every year.

The business partners with major manufacturers, distributors and artisan suppliers to offer products that may otherwise be difficult to sell, such as those with a short best-before date, cancelled orders, outdated packaging design or slightly obscure sizes or flavours.

By snapping these up at competitive prices, Approved Food is able to pass on savings to customers, in addition to diverting tons of perfectly usable goods from going to waste. Typical customers include busy families and money-conscious consumers in the UK and across Europe and Scandinavia.

Approved Food Director Andy Needham said: “The way that we shop has changed beyond recognition in the 10 years since we started. With the introduction of smartphones and the convenience of delivery direct to your door it’s easier than ever to save money and try new things, from your cupboard essentials to those few luxuries everyone likes to pop into their baskets from time to time!

“In 2018 alone, we processed almost 90,000 orders totalling £4m – for goods worth more than double that at their regular retail value. Not only does this represent amazing savings for our customers, but it diverts perfectly good items from going to waste, meaning the environment benefits too.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kate Wobschall .