Lidl Launches Community Trial To Redistribute More Surplus Food

Lidl GB is introducing a new partnership with food-sharing app Olio as it looks to scale up its surplus food redistribution across the UK and meet a 2030 food waste reduction target.

Image: Lidl GB

The “landmark collaboration” with Olio will operate initially across 20 Lidl stores in London and northern England from 15 May, and marks an expansion of Lidl's long-running food redistribution programme with Neighbourly, according to a press release from the discount retailer.

If successful, Lidl aims to roll out the programme nationwide by the end of the year, marking a “critical step” towards its wider commitment to reduce food waste by 70% by the end of 2030.

Under the new model, managed by social impact platform Neighbourly, Olio’s network of volunteer ‘Food Waste Heroes’ will provide an additional redistribution layer to support Lidl’s existing charity partnerships. 

Volunteers using the free Olio app will collect unsold food from stores in the evenings, including chilled products, meat, fish, poultry, and bakery items, before redistributing the food to local residents free of charge.

If introduced nationwide, the retailer said the initiative could help redistribute more than 5,000 tonnes of food annually, the equivalent of around 11.9 million meals.

New Avenues For Redistribution 

Lidl said combining the strengths of two leading players in food redistribution for the first time will help the retailer make a bigger impact by redistributing more surplus edible food to communities and further reducing waste. 

“At Lidl GB, we believe that no good food should ever go to waste,” said Matt Juden, Head of Sustainability.

“While we have already made massive strides in reducing our surplus, this extension of our Neighbourly-managed programme allows us to have even more impact,” Juden explained. 

“It ensures that we are reaching every corner of the communities we serve, making sure edible food stays on plates and out of the bin.”

Neighbourly CEO Steve Butterworth said Neighbourly is providing Lidl with "a robust additional redistribution layer” by expanding the programme to evening collections and including Olio’s Food Waste Heroes.

“This isn’t about diverting food away from charities, it’s about opening up new streams of chilled and fresh produce for them, while ensuring nothing goes to waste if a charity can’t make it,” emphasised Butterworth. 

Saasha Celestial-One, Co-founder and COO of Olio, said the team is excited to see the impact of the trial. 

“We’re looking forward to working together to maximise the amount of edible surplus that can reach local communities from Lidl stores, and making sure as little food as possible goes to waste,” she noted.

The collaboration reflects growing momentum across the grocery sector to strengthen food redistribution infrastructure and reduce edible waste, particularly through partnerships that combine charity networks with consumer-facing technology platforms.

Lidl GB said the partnership builds on its existing ‘Feed it Back’ programme with Neighbourly, which has donated 50 million meals since 2016 by connecting stores with local charities and community groups.