Network Rail, in partnership with food travel experts SSP, has teamed up with the local food sharing app Olio to combat food waste through its Food Waste Heroes programme.
A total of 34 rail stations across Great Britain, including 17 Network Rail managed stations, are now participating in the scheme that ensures that good-to-eat surplus food, which would otherwise go to waste, is instead made available without charge to those within the local community. It is estimated that the partnership could feed nearly 11,000 households annually by donating 150 tonnes of food annually.
It follows a successful 12-week trial at Network Rail’s London Waterloo station from April to June this year that saw contributions from retailers including Starbucks and Whistlestop stores, providing 3,112 meals from 4,300 items that benefited 127 households. The initiative is now being rolled out across other retail brands.
Hamish Kiernan, Commercial Director, Property at Network Rail, said: “Rail stations across Great Britain are an integral part of the communities they serve. That is why it was so important for us to be involved in the Food Waste Heroes initiative. It ensures that leftover food from retailers at our stations is not wasted but instead reaches the local community.
“It is a great example of how businesses can collaborate to make a positive impact. By working closely with SSP, Olio and now other retail partners, Network Rail will be able to not only cut food waste but also drive greater sustainability and deliver more for local people.”
Under the programme, collections of edible pre-packaged items that didn’t sell in time are set aside by retail staff, picked up by volunteers, listed online and shared with local communities through the Olio app.
Meredith Ford, Head of Sustainability at SSP UK and Ireland, said: “Reducing waste is not only a core part of our sustainability strategy but also makes good business sense. While we work hard to ensure we generate as little food waste as possible, there will always be some stock that we need to dispose of at the end of the day, so we’re delighted to be partnering with Olio to ensure this is redistributed to the community.”
Helping Network Rail and SSP support local communities, the scheme builds on Olio’s work to share food throughout the UK. Olio data from 2023 surveying users who request food on the app found that 1 in 5 have an average household income of below £10,000. Forty percent said they had cut down on meals in the last year because there wasn’t enough money for food.
Saasha Celestial, co-founder and COO at Olio, added: “We’re thrilled to announce this partnership with Network Rail and SSP through our Food Waste Heroes Programme at Waterloo Station and 33 other UK locations. It’s another powerful step towards a waste-free retail sector, and we know that our 4 million UK users are loving seeing such good quality food being shared by volunteers on the app.”
Additionally, Olio is sponsoring the Christmas tree at London's Victoria station this year. The tree will bring festive cheer to thousands of commuters and visitors who pass through the station daily, highlighting Olio's year-round commitment to food sustainability.
End-of-year data up to March 2024 from The Trussell Trust showed that food bank users have increased by 94% over the past five years.