Belgian retailer Delhaize has announced plans to donate one hundred percent of all unsold products to food banks and social institutions by 2020, Belgian newspaper sudinfo.be reported on Monday.
Currently, Delhaize collaborates with several food banks on a day-to-day basis and conducts an annual campaign to collect food. The retailer also works in partnership with fifty local charity organizations to distribute unsold fresh produce. Through these initiatives, approximately 620.000 free meals can be offered each year, according to Delhaize.
To push this initiative even further, the group is seeking to distribute one hundred percent of its unsold goods, that are still fit for consumption, by 2020.
"Sustainability is one of the main concerns of Delhaize, which is why we are committed to limiting food surpluses every day" Delhaize told sudinfo.be.
In order to minimize food waste, the Belgian government passed a law in 2013 which allows donor companies to handle goods VAT free if they intended for recognized charities.
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