Dutch retailer Albert Heijn said that it expects to save 4.5 million kilograms of food, as it launched a new in-store food waste prevention programme, AH Overblijvers.
AH Overblijvers features products that are left over at the end of the day and have an approaching expiration date, or are going out of stock. These are then offered to customers at reduced prices.
AH Overblijvers
Customers can reserve and purchase AH Overblijvers packages via the AH app in all Dutch Albert Heijn stores.
"Every kilogram of food wasted is one too many in our opinion. Not only is this a terrible waste of food and the energy that went into making the product, it also has a negative effect on the climate," said Henk van Harn, director of merchandising and sourcing at Albert Heijn.
"In the chains, in the stores and by giving tips to our customers, we are doing everything we can to reduce food waste," added van Harn.
Food Waste At Albert Heijn
Albert Heijn has increased its focus on food waste prevention, operating a number of initiatives in the area.
The supermarket chain discounts products that have a longer shelf life, or those that customers cannot consume in one day, a few days before the expiration date.
Elsewhere, in more than 125 Albert Heijn stores, fresh products are dynamically discounted, with the discount percentage linked to the best-before date.
The system works with an algorithm that looks at the stock in the store and the date, combined with the expected sales.
Based on that data, the algorithm then calculates the discount percentage, which is automatically settled at checkout tills.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
