We believe in the positive impact of raising awareness to the adoption of waste prevention and minimisation practices – as well as to its correct segregation – that contribute to waste recovery and to help save natural resources.
As food experts, we are determined to fight against food waste on all fronts.
That’s why we are committed to reducing 50% of the food waste produced in our operations by 2030, in line with Goal 12.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
We buy non standard size fruit and vegetables from our suppliers which, before, were left discarded in the fields. Therefore, we strive to contribute to reducing waste upstream of our operations, whilst ensuring that these products, which have the same nutritional profile as grade products, are integrated into the value chain, reaching consumers’ tables.
The so-called “ugly” fruits and vegetables are thus used in the soups we make in Portugal and Poland or transformed into convenience food solutions such as pre-cut and washed ready-to-use vegetables. These “ugly” products are also sold in their original form, at a reduced price in Recheio stores.
Our operations at Jerónimo Martins Agro-Alimentar also source sub-products from the food industry and non standard size vegetables to be incorporated into the cattle feed.
We are also committed to making it easier for consumers, in all countries, to manage the expiry dates of food products by adopting only one expiry date on the product labels whenever possible, depending on legal requirements.
In 2019, we generated 518,712 tonnes of waste, 8.2% more compared to the previous year, as a result of the Group’s growing operations. Because we endeavour to recover the waste we produce, in 2019 we sent to recovery more than 84.8% of the waste produced.
Our commitment is to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by five percentage points in the 2018-2020 triennium.
Recycling bins are available in our stores for our customers, who deposited more than 620 tonnes of waste across the Group’s stores in 2019, corresponding to an 11.5% increase year-on-year.
Information on the type and treatment of waste and food waste was confirmed by an external and independent entity for the Group’s 2019 Annual Report.