Country's first rescued food supermarket lets you 'pay what you can'
While many of us have memories of being scolded about food waste as a child, many businesses throw out unsold food on the regular, as well as products with an often arbitrary sell-by date.
France set an example by making it illegal for supermarkets to throw out or destroy unsold food in 2015. Now there's a few supermarkets across Europe filled with food that has either been donated, or would otherwise go to waste.
The OzHarvest Market in Sydney, Australia, is the latest incarnation of the "rescued food" supermarket, and a first for the country. Shoppers there are allowed to "pick their price."
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"The OzHarvest Market is our latest innovation to tackle food waste and eliminate hunger. It supports OzHarvest's purpose to nourish our country, by making sure good food does not go to waste and is available to everyone," CEO and Founder Ronni Kahn said in a statement.
Image: Livia Giacomini
The store operates on an honesty system of "take what you need, give what you can" when it comes to payment.
"If times are tough and you're in need of food or other goods, you can take what you need, if you can give something, then please do, it could even be your time or skills," Kahn added.
The money from the supermarket will go to OzHarvest, an organisation which rescues food and delivers it to vulnerable people in cities and towns around Australia.
Image: Livia Giacomini
All of the food has been given to OzHarvest Market for free via a network of donors, while the store is staffed by volunteers.
Even the retail space has been donated by developer TOGA, who also lent a former hotel next door for use as a youth homeless shelter as the site awaits development approval.
"We would love to see more OzHarvest Markets pop up as those in the industry are inspired by TOGA's initiative," Kahn said.
Who could say no to reducing food waste?
