Lidl GB has expanded its partnership with the food-sharing app Olio to almost 200 stores across the United Kingdom. The discount retailer and social impact platform Neighbourly have integrated Olio’s volunteer network into their existing surplus food system, allowing shoppers to collect discounted items for free via the Olio app. The initiative is currently live in stores ranging from Newcastle to Shepherds Bush in London, with plans to roll out nationwide by the end of the year.
Volunteers rescue surplus food
When local charities cannot make late-evening collections, Olio’s volunteer ‘Food Waste Heroes’ step in to pick up surplus fresh produce, meat, and bakery items before doors close. Instead of going to waste, the food goes straight to local families, shelters, and community groups. The scheme works by recruiting additional volunteers who are able to collect chilled items like meat, fish, and poultry, as well as popular bakery treats that cannot be held overnight.
Buzzee Beez Pre-school Food Scheme collects from the Lidl store in Harlow, Essex. Kelly Stallwood, the pre-school’s Deputy manager, said the new evening collections have been beneficial to families. “Whether they have new babies arriving, are struggling with the rising cost of living, or simply want to support reducing food waste, the reaction has been fantastic,” Stallwood said. “In the pre-school we support over 50 families, so this surplus food really helps make a difference.”
Impact of the partnership
The rollout builds on a successful trial of evening collections in 20 stores which has already prevented around 1,200kg of food waste per week. Once live nationally, the initiative is expected to redistribute 5,000 tonnes of surplus food each year, the equivalent of nearly 11.9 million meals. Volunteers have already seen an overwhelming positive response in their local communities. Take Tillmann from York, who in a single collection picked up around 25kg of strawberries, 12kg of bananas, and another seven crates of foodstuff completely free to redistribute.
Meanwhile, Krys in Walthamstow is able to support many corners of the community with their collections, benefiting local mosque women and children’s centres to local church bible study groups, the YMCA and the Whipps Cross Ambulance service. Georgina Hall, director of corporate affairs at Lidl GB, said the collaboration makes a huge impact on vulnerable communities. “Real change requires a community effort, and we are incredibly grateful to our store teams, charity partners and the dedicated Food Waste Heroes who are rescuing good quality food for those who need it most,” Hall said.
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While the partnership aims to rescue millions of meals annually, the logistics of late-night food pickup require careful coordination. Food safety regulations restrict how long certain perishables can be kept after opening, and the influx of volunteer pickups could potentially strain local storage facilities if not managed effectively. The reliance on volunteers to maintain this schedule also introduces variables that a purely automated system might not face, as individual availability and local demand fluctuate.
The new initiative significantly scales up the discounters’ existing efforts with Neighbourly by integrating Olio’s network into its surplus food network, combining the strengths of two leading players in food redistribution for the first time. Since 2016, Lidl GB has donated 50 million meals through its Feed it Back scheme with Neighbourly, linking every nationwide store to local good causes. To become a local Food Waste Hero, sign up via the Olio app. Under the programme’s unique model, volunteers collect the surplus food entirely for free. The volunteers are permitted to keep a maximum of 10% of the rescued items for their own households, seamlessly distributing the rest to neighbours in their community via the Olio app.
It has a significant impact.
Lidl GB’s expansion of its partnership with Olio is part of its ongoing efforts to reduce food waste and support local communities, similar to other travel marketing campaigns that have been successful in the past.
