James Hall & Co partners with food waste app

The new partnership enables Spar customers to purchase ‘magic bags’ of miscellaneous surplus stock, close to the end of its shelf life, but still within its best before date.

Julie McAulay, company stores director at James Hall & Co, said: “As a grocery business, we try to minimise food waste wherever possible and donate unavoidable surplus stock to local charities and food banks. We already work with over 70 food banks across the north of England but have found logistical challenges exist when donating fresh food as many organisations do not have the required refrigeration facilities to store or transport fresh food safely.

“Searching for a solution, James Hall & Co.’s corporate social responsibility team approached Too Good To Go and we are delighted to announce that from the 14 September, we will trial the scheme in 10 of our company-owned stores in Lancashire and Merseyside (SPAR G&E Murgatroyd).”

McAulay added: “This new initiative will complement our current food bank collections and will ensure that we can safely re-distribute all forms of surplus stock for individuals and families across Lancashire and Merseyside. If the scheme is a success, we hope to roll out the initiative across our company-owned stores division.”

The new scheme will be trialled in: Spar Birkdale; Spar Cambridge Rd; Spar Leyland; Spar Newton-le-Willows; Spar Ormskirk; Spar Poulton; Spar Prescot Rd; Spar Roe Lane; Spar Warton and Spar Bispham Road.