mass distribution is hunting down waste

Anti-waste shelves have been blooming in the aisles of supermarkets for more than a year. Above all, they offer many reductions, which can go up to -50%. On the shelves of the Auchan Cergy supermarket (Val-d’Oise), you can find products very close to the deadline, but still consumable. They are therefore removed from the traditional shelves every day to be automatically declawed and placed in a space dedicated to waste prevention.

The goal is to sell the product before it expires. With rising prices, the department is increasingly successful. “I always come to take a look before shopping, because if I find what I need, I take it here before picking it up on the shelf”, confides a client. The anti-waste department also allows distributors to limit their losses. Since 2016, the law obliges them to reduce food waste. On the other hand, large retailers are improving their image to the detriment of food banks, which have seen donations of products close to the expiry date drop by 10 to 20%.