The director of Norway's Forbrukerrådet (Consumer Council), Inger Lise Blyverket, has hit out at '3 for 2' offers in supermarkets, saying that they go against effort to reduce food waste.
In an interview with Nettavisen, Blyverket noted that retailers Rema 1000 and Coop Norge hold 3 for 2 offers 'on a regular basis', despite the Council advising retail chains that they wanted to see an end to such campaigns.
In Norway, edible food waste to the equivalent of 42 kilograms per person is thrown away every year.
According to Blyverket, retailers should charge the same price per item, regardless of whether you purchase one, two or three packs – an approach that is taken at the Norgesgruppen-owned retailer Kiwi, for example.
"If Rema and Coop are struggling to understand why Kiwi is beating them in the competition for customers, they should look at what they are doing," she said.
"Do not pressure customers to buy more than they need in order for them to avail of a special offer."
Food Waste Pledge
The Council also pointed out that the government and the Norwegian food industry signed an agreement in 2017 pledging to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030, Nettavisen reported.
The paper also spoke to a number of retailers about their decision to offer 3 for 2 offers, with a Rema 100 spokesperson noting that such offers were only applied to products with "good durability", which many consumers tend to stock up on.
Elsewhere, a spokesperson for Coop Norge said that the 3 for 2 promotions were applied to products which are acquired in large quantities from suppliers, which are then passed on to shoppers. [Pic ©Tupungato/123RF.COM]
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. For more Retail news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
