Portuguese supermarket chain Pingo Doce has received a national distinction for its efforts to combat food waste.
It has become the first food retailer to be recognised by the Portuguese National Commission for Combatting Food Waste (Comissão Nacional de Combate ao Desperdício Alimentar, or CNCDA) for ‘Sustainable Production, Responsible Consumption.’
A series of good practices implemented to combat food waste contributed to the retailer receiving this honour, with the Portuguese chain stating its commitment to halving food waste by 2030 across its operations.
Publishing Food Waste Footprint
The supermarket chain was also the first food retailer in Portugal to calculate, independently verify, and publicly disclose its food waste footprint.
Pingo Doce’s various initiatives to fight food waste in 2021 alone prevented the loss of over 14,000 tonnes of food.
Actions implemented include the use of misshapen vegetables to make soup, the donation of surplus food to institutions, and the discounted sale of products close to reaching their expiry date.
Food Waste In The Home
The Jerónimo Martins-owned retailer also launched a number of actions to promote the fight against food waste in homes.
This includes the splitting of large fruit (melons, watermelons, etc.) in shops, and the launch of the book Zero Waste at the Table with Pingo Doce, which encourages the use of leftovers and provides tips on food conservation and reducing waste in the kitchen.
Read More: Pingo Doce To Include Nutri-Score On Private-Label Products
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
