IFCO partners with UK charities to repurpose food waste for those in need

13 Jun 2023 --- IFCO, reusable packaging containers (RPCs) provider, is expanding its support for FareShare and The Felix Project, two food redistribution charities in the UK, to facilitate healthy fresh food delivery to people in need. 

FareShare is the “UK’s largest” charity fighting hunger and food waste, while The Felix Project is “London’s largest food redistribution charity. IFCO aims to make it easier, faster and cost-neutral for producers, suppliers and retailers to donate surplus food to charitable organizations using its RPCs. 

IFCO's RPCs are designed to protect fresh products along the value chain, enabling enhanced shelf life and reducing landfill.

Independent scientific studies have proven RPCs help reduce food waste across the supply chain by providing superior product protection and ventilation.

“One of the biggest problems with food waste is that of the 9.5 million metric tons wasted in the UK – almost 70% is from households – which is not food The Felix Project can use. Instead, it is vital the charity accesses the 13% from hospitality and 12% from manufacturing, which is where we can find surplus food we can save and redistribute to those in need,” Richard Smith, deputy head of food supply at The Felix Project, tells PackagingInsights.

“With IFCO on board, we have reduced the typical barriers that often prevent suppliers and retailers from donating surplus food, namely time, effort and costs,” adds Kris Gibbon-Walsh, director of network, community and operations at FareShare. 

Volunteers sort and prepare surplus food donated by retailers in IFCO reusable packaging containers.Expanding networks
The partners work with the food industry to source good surplus food that would otherwise go to waste, landfill or anaerobic digestion. 

“This partnership automatically expands our network of potential suppliers across the UK and internationally. Currently, FareShare is experiencing skyrocketing demand due to the cost-of-living crisis. So this support from IFCO is needed more than ever to deliver more nutritious food to the people in our local communities who need it most,” explains Gibbon-Walsh. 

Although producers and retailers have always been able to transport food donations in IFCO RPCs, this partnership ensures the faster flow of fresh produce from even more suppliers through to food banks and the simplified return of RPCs into the IFCO pooling system.

“We are proud and excited to be supporting two organizations that are so incredibly passionate about getting good surplus food to vulnerable people. We hope that our contribution means more suppliers will join the network and more communities can be reached, particularly when such services are so desperately needed,” says Neil Stewart, asset control manager at IFCO. 

Easier donation 
The charities say it is now easier for suppliers and retailers to donate fresh produce in IFCO RPCs into the FareShare and The Felix Project networks. IFCO states that food donations are not a long-term solution to food poverty and that the professional redistribution of quality surplus food has an important role to play. 

“The IFCO partnership has helped us to attract new suppliers, including manufacturers. In the past, some were keen to donate surplus food but were hesitant because of the potential extra cost or workload. Now, thanks to the support of IFCO, they are able and eager to become part of our network,” explains Smith. 

One aspect of the partnership taps into IFCO digital solutions, as both FareShare and The Felix Project now use the MyIFCO app to declare and schedule the pick-up of IFCO RPCs, for a smoother return process. 

In October 2022, the European Food Banks Federation selected IFCO as their official partner for RPCs. Since then, food banks across Europe, including FareShare and The Felix Project, have received donated sustainable RPCs to support their food distribution to charities.

By Sabine Waldeck