First "pay what you want" supermarket opens in Leeds

[Fez909]

This is great.

The people behind the Junk Food Project have opened up their warehouse of discarded food to the public, allowing you to pay what you want to buy it. It's food that's been thrown out by cafes etc because it's past its sell-by date, but it's perfectly edible. They have a restaurant where they sell meals made from this but they had so much good they're now selling the ingredients.

Great idea for those struggling and to reduce food waste

 

[pinkmonkey]

My mate runs one in London, been going for months. Its mostly veg. She runs a food waste cafe too but there is so much food she does the pay what you feel shop, once a week.

 

[twentythreedom]

That's a great idea.

Here in Weymouth there are millions of hotels, tourists, restaurants, cafes and I've noticed food waste is ridiculously high - plus there's pockets of extreme poverty and plenty of homeless.

It's a logical service to run alongside food banks etc.

 

[abe11825]

It's a great idea, but I just wish they could do something similar with the hotel industry (like donating straight to food banks).

I work at a hotel doing AV stuff, and there have been times where a breakfast or lunch meeting just ended, the clients have left, and the banquet staff is throwing out full serving platters of food. "Full" as in 'the ordered food wasn't touched by the client; everything is still there'.

Because of contamination and all that, the banquet guys have to bin it "by law". It can't be given to a food bank or re-purposed in another meal (sometimes staff gets leftovers for lunch, but you just never know). The only things re-used are unopened cans of Coke (or other soda products) and any unopened mini boxes of cereal (besides tea, jam and honey). Outside that, all food related items get fed to the trash bin.

I've run into quite a load of people who agree that there's something to be done with the waste of food in the hotel; that it's too big of a shame that hundreds of dollars worth of food are thrown out every day because the people meeting end up not touching it (it's not cheap; I've seen what some of the charges are, and it makes matters worse for binning it).

 

[Dr. Furface]

My mate runs one in London, been going for months. Its mostly veg. She runs a food waste cafe too but there is so much food she does the pay what you feel shop, once a week.

Where is that?

 

[pinkmonkey]

Do a search for savethedatelondon should bring up the info.

 

[Fez909]

It's a great idea, but I just wish they could do something similar with the hotel industry (like donating straight to food banks).

I work at a hotel doing AV stuff, and there have been times where a breakfast or lunch meeting just ended, the clients have left, and the banquet staff is throwing out full serving platters of food. "Full" as in 'the ordered food wasn't touched by the client; everything is still there'.

Because of contamination and all that, the banquet guys have to bin it "by law". It can't be given to a food bank or re-purposed in another meal (sometimes staff gets leftovers for lunch, but you just never know). The only things re-used are unopened cans of Coke (or other soda products) and any unopened mini boxes of cereal (besides tea, jam and honey). Outside that, all food related items get fed to the trash bin.

I've run into quite a load of people who agree that there's something to be done with the waste of food in the hotel; that it's too big of a shame that hundreds of dollars worth of food are thrown out every day because the people meeting end up not touching it (it's not cheap; I've seen what some of the charges are, and it makes matters worse for binning it).

Not just hotels, but lots of venues in the "hospitality industry" - football stadiums, racecourses, etc. I have worked in plenty of these and exactly what you say above is true - bucket loads of food, just thrown away.

 

[abe11825]

Not just hotels, but lots of venues in the "hospitality industry" - football stadiums, racecourses, etc. I have worked in plenty of these and exactly what you say above is true - bucket loads of food, just thrown away.

Oh, I'm not surprised by any means, nor am I limiting what I said to just the hotels I've seen. I just shake my head in disgust (in a way... disgust isn't the right word, I know) because there is so much these venues can do with that left over food. I know there's a "sanitary" "health" reason, but surely not all of the food is 'contaminated'. I mean, if you want to talk safety and sanitation, maybe keep an eye on all the regional insects that play hide and seek in the kitchens when the food is being prepared... let's talk about it when there are more places shutting down! LOL.

But until that happens, one could only hope that more places like the "pay what you want / can" supermarkets open up, and help the needy. I know the food pantry down the road from me always has a line out the door, from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon. Something must be right in that place...

 

[mr steev]

We're in the process of starting a Real junk Food Project here. To be pedantic the concept is 'Pay As You Feel' not what you want. Customers are encouraged to pay what they feel the food is worth. If they can afford it, then what they would expect to pay in a 'normal' cafe. If you have no money you're encouraged to donate your skills or become involved in the project (although this is not compulsory) The driving force behind it is food waste, and ridiculous views on the cosmetics of veg and spurious sell by/use by laws. They are not soup kitchens. But obviously food poverty is a major issue, even more obscene when you couple it with food waste.

 

[mr steev]

It's a logical service to run alongside food banks etc.

That's not really what The Junk Food Project is about. It's about using waste food to feed EVERYONE. To make the point that this food destined for bins is perfectly edible. To run it alongside food banks and only serve it to people who can't afford to buy 'fresh', good looking and 'in date' food helps perpertrate the myth that the wasted food is second rate.
The Pay As You Feel concept also helps make this food available for EVERYONE. It doesn't matter what your circumstances are, everyone should have access to decent food and at the same time it reduces (or at least highlights) the enviromental impact of throwing away food that has used lots of resources to get into the shops in the first place.

 

[twentythreedom]

Fair enough

 

[abe11825]

We're in the process of starting a Real junk Food Project here. To be pedantic the concept is 'Pay As You Feel' not what you want. Customers are encouraged to pay what they feel the food is worth. If they can afford it, then what they would expect to pay in a 'normal' cafe. If you have no money you're encouraged to donate your skills or become involved in the project (although this is not compulsory) The driving force behind it is food waste, and ridiculous views on the cosmetics of veg and spurious sell by/use by laws. They are not soup kitchens. But obviously food poverty is a major issue, even more obscene when you couple it with food waste.

Honestly, I think that is one of the best "situations" to put people in. It's a great idea as part of the market... for the people who have just the right amount of money, pay what they would expect it to be worth - I've seen something like that, maybe when I first heard about these projects for restaurants, and I thought it was interesting. But for the people who really have no slosh in their pockets but need a half of a loaf of bread and some jam to get by for the next 24 hours or so, to donate their time and "repay" the food, is an excellent idea.

I feel it could help someone who is homeless or on the verge of losing everything. This could help them be part of a more stable environment and lead to a positive outcome, rather than furthering down a negative rabbit hole. If they do some "volunteer" work around the store or help someone else out, in order to give back what's "owed", maybe someone could see that and offer them some part time work. The whole idea could be really beneficial for everyone involved.

 

[ManchesterBeth]

This is great.

The people behind the Junk Food Project have opened up their warehouse of discarded food to the public, allowing you to pay what you want to buy it. It's food that's been thrown out by cafes etc because it's past its sell-by date, but it's perfectly edible. They have a restaurant where they sell meals made from this but they had so much good they're now selling the ingredients.

Great idea for those struggling and to reduce food waste

Is this in woodhouse?

E: Pudsey.