Using up food items instead of letting them go to waste - this is the principle, that a foodsharing group in Eichstätt has followed for many years now. A working group of KU students is also involved. More than 3,300 times, volunteers have salvaged foods thereby saving a total amount of 160 tons to date. A major supermarket discounter has now become a foodsharing partner.
The first cooperation with a major grocery retailer in the district is an important further step for the growing community of about 140 active foodsharing members in Eichstätt. Christopher Blömeke, regional sales manager with ALDI SÜD did not take any convincing and got his store managers aboard immediately when foodsharing members approached him. In addition to volunteers from the food bank Tafel, since August 2021, foodsharing volunteers can also come to the Aldi store in the industrial park and reclaim goods that are past their sell-by date, which means they can no longer be sold to paying customers despite still being good. The stores in Eitensheim, Denkendorf and Beilngries are also participating.
Foodsharing members sign up for a pick-up at a specific shop and specific time and are then handed over the groceries by shop employees. Shop and foodsharing members are known to each other and new members are introduced by old hands. In the beginning, there is a lot to consider to ensure a smooth pick-up for both sides.
Foodsharing members also collect food at the Eichstätt market, either for themselves or to make it available to other people. (Photo: Wermter/EK)
After each pick-up, redistribution begins immediately in order to make the large quantity of food available to as many people as possible. Some of the salvaged food ends up in members’ refrigerators, but most with other foodsharers, relatives, neighbours, friends and apartment-sharing communities. Some have built real networks. A recipent’s financial status is not important in this respect. The focus is on the quick consumption of perishable food. Tafel food banks are usually not allowed to accept expired goods and have a less flexible structure for pick-ups and distribution at short notice. Foodsharing only springs into action if the Tafel is unable to come and pick up salvageable groceries.
After eight months, it is now time to take stock. Blömeke and his team are enthusiastic about the cooperation: “From a personal as well as a professional viewpoint, I am happy to keep advertizing our cooperation with friends and colleagues.” This is high praise for the volunteers. This might move other decision-makers in retail to think about how food waste can be reduced. According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture, 12 million tons of food are wasted in Germany every year on the path from production to household use.
Foodsharing is also a topic in teaching at the KU. For example, Religious Education students of the seminar “Specific questions of sustainable education and its didactics” by Prof. Dr. Simone Birkel looked into the creation of sustainable ways of life for the future. In cooperation with the Spiritual Mentorat for students of religious education or theology, the Katholische Hochschulgemeinde (KHG) and the work group Foodsharing, a fridge was set up in the building of the Mentorat and the KHG. This means that all students can bring food items that they can’t or don’t want to use to the communal fridge, where other students can take them. Mentorat and KHG will also put left-over food from events into the fridge, rather than throwing it away.
Anyone can become a foodsharer. Besides picking up food, distributing and using it, there is organizational work involved and campaigning to inform other people on how to avoid wasting food. If you want to contribute, you can get information at www.foodsharing.de or write an e-mail to orgateam.eichstaett(at)foodsharing.network. The active members of Foodsharing Eichstätt meet online on the first Tuesday of every month. Potential new members are welcome!
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