Monday, 4 January 2010

Thumbs up for Lidl

In case it's not reason enough to call along to Lidl to pick up large wall maps (Europe and world) for only £1.99, or jotters full of squared paper for graph work for less than £1, you may also get to grab some grub for free!

I feel very strongly about the level of food waste direct from the retailer, so I was delighted to see Lidl giving food away for free at the end of the day yesterday. Isn't that amazing - a major retailer rejecting waste and embracing freeganism! I'm not sure if it just happened because it was the holiday period and things were slack, whether it's a local thing or whether it's national policy.

I don't profess to have the answers to reconciling commerce and waste, but surely there must be some way forward. I'm not a regular shopper at Lidl but will certainly go back now. They have won my favour - not because I saved the cost of the two packs of scones and two sponge cakes I got for free (which incidentally I put in the freezer and didn't scoff all in one go *grin*), but because they have shown a glimmer of social and environmental conscience. Here's hoping this is a company policy and not a one off member of staff utilising common sense.

2 comments:

Elizabeth (My Reading World) said...

In some areas, the recycling/rubbish bin rules might make it cheaper for them to give old food away than to dispose of it. Most of it is still perfectly edible--especially as soup!

Claire said...

Ah yes, I hadn't thought about waste disposal taxes.