Lidl Luxembourg has been redistributing food that was not fit for sale but still edible to the 12 food banks of Caritas and the Luxembourg Red Cross which are dotted across the country. Every year, 3,600 families benefit from these institutions.

Michel Simonis, the head of Red Cross, explains how the food banks work:

“they are not open to the public, but to clients which have been registered by social services, who come up with a plan to help people bridge over a difficult period. There are two levels of help. Some people get food stamps, because their income is too small to buy their groceries directly, even though the prices are considerably reduced. Others pay with their own money.”

The food banks offer only food that is in line with food safety standards. Their prices are up to 40% lower than those in supermarkets.

The Lidl spokesperson explained that the new collaboration is part of the strategy to reduce food waste by 25% by the year 2020.