Marks and Spencer, a department store giant, will be launching a new plan designed to sustain Bath charities with their struggle of putting food on their tables. This scheme will not only benefit Bath families but will also reduce foods that are expected to be thrown by the company.
Marks and Spencer's 500 stores will be included in this food surplus redistribution scheme. The goal of this idea is to trim down its food waste by 20 percent in 2020.
Registration for food charities who want to be a beneficiary of the scheme will be from Monday, October 12.
"Our key priority is to reduce food waste whilst ensuring that, where there is food surplus, we put it to the best possible use," Louise Nicholls, head of responsible sourcing, packaging & Plan A, said.
"This is the first nationwide redistribution scheme to provide an innovative, practical solution to surplus food redistribution by building local connections, enabling all our stores to link with local food projects and help support their communities.
"Our ambition is that this, alongside the work we are doing with our suppliers, will accelerate us towards our Plan A target of reducing food waste in our stores by 20 per cent by 2020," Nicholls added.
150 of the biggest stores of Mark and Spencer will begin the redistribution of surplus food by December. Foods that will be redistributed only include those products that are close to its expiry date. These are fruits, vegetables, breads, cakes and groceries. Redistribution will only vary according to the needs of the charity.
This kind of program has been already tried along the Bath and Bristol neighborhood. Ever since April, there are six stores that have reallocated almost four tons of surplus food and charity collections already.
Charity collections are currently happening on an everyday basis. The department store will be using its social network on it's fellow citizen with the intention of acquiring help to connect with neighboring charities who want to be a part of the scheme.
