Spinneys joins ‘Food for Life’ initiative that aims to halve food waste by 2030

Supermarket chain Spinneys says it has become the first retailer to partner with the ‘Food for Life’ programme, a UAE initiative that supports the UAE’s goal to halve food waste by 2030 in line with the National Food Security Strategy 2051.

‘Food for Life’ is actively mobilising stakeholders across the food ecosystem to help people lead a more sustainable lifestyle and save a third of the waste produced by shopping sensibly and cooking and eating smarter.

The initiative is driven by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Ministry of Health and Prevention, in partnership with Emirates Nature-WWF and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said: “The global food system is the single biggest contributor to biodiversity loss, deforestation, drought, freshwater pollution and the collapse of aquatic wildlife. It’s also the second-biggest generator of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing significantly to climate change. In addition, one-third of edible food produced globally is wasted. With all that in mind, we see the urgency of making smarter choices around food. This is why ‘Food for Life’ seeks to educate consumers to truly appreciate food and prevent it from going into the bin. Community engagement is by far the best tool at our disposal in our quest to reduce food waste. We thank Spinneys for joining the campaign and for its steadfast commitment to sustainability.”

Supporting the cause
Spinneys has said it will halve its food waste by 2030, with a commitment that no food fit for human consumption goes to waste.  Spinneys’ ‘Love Food, Don’t Waste’ initiative is focused on consumer education campaign and food donation drive across its stores and digital channels during Ramadan.

According to Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence, food wastage in the UAE is estimated to be 3.2 million tonnes, with around 38 per cent of the food prepared daily being wasted, most of which comes directly from the home. This number rises to 60 per cent during the Holy Month.

The supermarket’s customers are being encouraged to re-use their food scraps and repurpose leftovers via easy tips and tricks to make their household food go further and last longer. Spinney’s has also identified some of the top wasted foods and provided helpful guides to help communities use and store foods – like potatoes, tomatoes and apples – in different ways.

Food donation efforts
To support the UAE Food Bank’s ‘1 Million Meals Saved’ campaign, Spinneys has introduced a food donation drive across its stores and production facilities, ensuring any surplus food is redistributed to families in need this Ramadan. Spinneys is also helping the UAE Food Bank to re-purpose the high-quality off-cuts it collects daily into pre-prepared products.

Additionally, Spinneys is  a member of a global coalition to address food waste through the 10x20x30 initiative, which brings together supply chain stakeholders to combat the global and local challenges and align with the Sustainable Development Goals. Spinneys is committed to playing its role in the journey to a sustainable future.

In recent news, Spinneys has tied up with PepsiCo to introduce a reverse vending machine (RVM) at its sustainable concept store in Layan.

Read: Spinneys, PepsiCo partner to promote recycling in the UAE