The need for food waste apps
We all know food prices are rising and our daily costs of living. However, this week, it was confirmed that families are spending over €100 more every month on food compared to 2020, a newly published study by Caritas Malta identified.
NGO Caritas Malta presented the MiniMEBDL research study for 2022, referring to the Minimum Essential Budget for a Decent Living, which showed a significant increase in food and medicine prices for low-income families. Worryingly, the study includes prices until February 2022, which does not include the inflation caused by the Ukrainian conflict. We can only begin to imagine what is coming this way. Of course, many families may already be spending much more.
The study identifies and prices a basket of goods and services for these families to be able to live a basic but decent quality of life. Compared to the 2020 study, the food basket cost increased by 17.75% yearly for two adults and two children, going up from a yearly cost of €7121.38 in 2020 to €8385.60 in 2022, making a €1264.22 increase. The food basket includes a menu of seven days comprised of fresh fruits and vegetables and other food essentials from three different localities: the supermarket, a local fruit and vegetable vendor and the Farmer’s Market in Ta’ Qali.
Due to different family units, a lone parent with two children saw a 22.20% increase in the yearly costs, whilst elderly couples experienced a 24.92% increase. Among many suggestions is the development of a no-waste food app that connects low-income families with sources of extra or about-to-expire food that is going to waste, such as in cafes and supermarkets. We cannot herald this concept quick enough.
More than one-third of food is currently wasted. Other countries have long seen success with such technology, such as the “Too Good to Go” app. The mobile application connects customers to restaurants and stores that have unsold food surplus. Customers can then buy whatever food the outlet considers surplus to requirements – without being able to choose the mystery food bundle – at a much lower price than usual. The food on the app is priced at just one-third its original price, and it is exceedingly popular. It currently has over 5.7 million registered users, and over 12,800 partner food businesses have signed up to fight food waste in the UK alone. This Danish company has had a lot of success in Europe, claiming to have saved 29.1 million meals through over 37,335 partnerships and 18.6 million app downloads. It operates in 14 European countries and the US.
“Too Good to Go” doesn’t let the customer pick and choose the food each business will have at the end of the day. Instead, they do “surprise bags,” which means restaurants pick out a selection of their food that is still remaining before they close shop. There are usually several reservations that can be used at each business. The app will show how many bags the business will have, and it is up to the customer to see if they can snap it up before someone else does. Fear not, it’s not a competition, and it is not a mad rush unless you choose later in the day. The customer will have to reserve a time to grab the bag, but the hours depend on the business.
Of course, there are many recommendations, ideas and subsidies that could be introduced to help mitigate rising food costs; however, our food waste from commercial establishments could really help relieve the pressure on many families, and such an initiative needs to be fast-tracked locally.