Buying food after it's Best Before date at reduced cost

miamee · 26-04-2017 03:40PM #1

What do you think of this shop, would you use it or something similar if someone started it in Ireland?

This man runs a food shop which he says is partway between a foodbank and a supermarket. Everything in it is past it's Best Before date (but not 'Use By' date, that's different and potentially unsafe) and has been donated by supermarkets who will not sell it on their shelves once past the BB date. He reckons everything there is still good to eat and the cost for customers is drastically reduced allowing low-income earners to still provide for their families before having to go to a foodbank.

I can imagine that a shop like this, depending on where it set up, could do quite well in Ireland. The amount of waste coming out of shops, supermarkets and restaurants must be awful when I even think of the amount of food waste in the average home.
I can already think of one or two little shops that already sell this type of stuff for pennies in Dublin but it's not their sole trade. Would you shop in it?

Arbie · 26-04-2017 03:49PM

Fair play to that guy, it's a superb idea and a great thing for the community.

People waste huge amounts of food unnecessarily. I get funny looks when I tell people that best before dates refer to taste and texture changes rather than the promise of agonising illness.

rubadub · 26-04-2017 06:15PM

Great idea, I have no issue eating most food past its BB, growing up lots of food had no BB dates, like tinned food which lasts indefinitely. Many products have them now and I can only think it is for marketing reasons, they do not want heinz beans from the 90s with old tatty labels still on sale with old logos, and it forces turnover of stock.

However I would not shop in that place as it is non-profit and so it would feel like you are taking from charity which others would be in greater need of.

I think there is some UK online shop selling similar, bars etc.

corks finest · 27-04-2017 06:27AM

miamee wrote: »

What do you think of this shop, would you use it or something similar if someone started it in Ireland?

This man runs a food shop which he says is partway between a foodbank and a supermarket. Everything in it is past it's Best Before date (but not 'Use By' date, that's different and potentially unsafe) and has been donated by supermarkets who will not sell it on their shelves once past the BB date. He reckons everything there is still good to eat and the cost for customers is drastically reduced allowing low-income earners to still provide for their families before having to go to a foodbank.

I can imagine that a shop like this, depending on where it set up, could do quite well in Ireland. The amount of waste coming out of shops, supermarkets and restaurants must be awful when I even think of the amount of food waste in the average home.
I can already think of one or two little shops that already sell this type of stuff for pennies in Dublin but it's not their sole trade. Would you shop in it?

Yes

corks finest · 27-04-2017 06:29AM

corks finest wrote: »

miamee wrote: »

What do you think of this shop, would you use it or something similar if someone started it in Ireland?

This man runs a food shop which he says is partway between a foodbank and a supermarket. Everything in it is past it's Best Before date (but not 'Use By' date, that's different and potentially unsafe) and has been donated by supermarkets who will not sell it on their shelves once past the BB date. He reckons everything there is still good to eat and the cost for customers is drastically reduced allowing low-income earners to still provide for their families before having to go to a foodbank.

I can imagine that a shop like this, depending on where it set up, could do quite well in Ireland. The amount of waste coming out of shops, supermarkets and restaurants must be awful when I even think of the amount of food waste in the average home.
I can already think of one or two little shops that already sell this type of stuff for pennies in Dublin but it's not their sole trade. Would you shop in it?

Yes

Already shop in the best before date parts of Dunnes,and have done so for years

Dr Bolouswki · 27-04-2017 09:24AM

rubadub wrote: »

However I would not shop in that place as it is non-profit and so it would feel like you are taking from charity which others would be in greater need of.

I don't get it?

ssmith6287 · 09-05-2017 02:29PM

there's a good few restaurants that use this model. Any of the ones I have seen don't have prices, the customer pays what they feel is right

L1011 · 11-05-2017 08:17AM

Dr Bolouswki wrote: »

I don't get it?

Its a food bank in everything but name basically. Has a token price to allow people to feel they're not using a food bank.

rubadub · 11-05-2017 10:49AM

I mentioned an online shop, seems there are a few

Kovu wrote: »

There's a few of them in the UK that I know of, http://www.approvedfood.co.uk/ and http://www.clearancexl.co.uk/

I used Clearance XL this time as I find their postage to be cheaper, something like up to 30kg for £13.75 shipping and it arrives in a few days. Now 30kg is a LOT. I even have a full box of Rib'N'Saucy Nik Naks here, best crisps ever.
They don't sell anything fresh, just things that have 'Best before' on them, not 'Use By'

RacoonQueen · 17-05-2017 09:27AM

I don't tend to buy much 'packaged' stuff. Usually I'm all fresh - but for the few things I do buy packaged (porridge, pasta, rice etc) are mostly cheap anyway but I'd buy them there if we had one. For someone who doesn't buy packaged stuff though, I'd probably end up spending more money than I do now as everything would be cheaper

Crazy big savings in the video on things like cereals :eek:

L1011 · 17-05-2017 07:51PM

RacoonQueen wrote: »

I don't tend to buy much 'packaged' stuff. Usually I'm all fresh - but for the few things I do buy packaged (porridge, pasta, rice etc) are mostly cheap anyway but I'd buy them there if we had one. For someone who doesn't buy packaged stuff though, I'd probably end up spending more money than I do now as everything would be cheaper

Crazy big savings in the video on things like cereals :eek:

The stuff thats cheap doesn't end up there anyway. The cereals with huge savings would be stuff that was hugely expensive and isn't selling well.

Buying food after it's Best Before date at reduced cost

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