Start-up fights against food waste
“Too Good To Go” is not a sufficient solution for WWF
The start-up “Too Good To Go” wants to ensure sustainability. According to the WWF, this is not enough to combat food waste.
Published: 7 minutes ago
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Too much food ends up in the bin because too much is produced.
Robin BaniRingier journalism student
Food belongs on the plate. In Switzerland, however, a third of all food ends up in the bin, according to Mariella Meyer, food expert at the environmental protection organization WWF Switzerland.
This is where the start-up “Too Good To Go” (too good to throw away) comes in. TGTG has developed an app that supermarkets and restaurants, but also farms use to offer groceries. What’s special about this is that the edibles are nearing their sell-by date. That’s why you often only pay a third of the price. On average, CHF 2.90 of this goes to TGTG as a commission. But everyone should benefit – not least the environment.
The start-up does not want to reveal sales figures, but marketing manager Yann Gurtner says to SonntagsBlick: “Since it was launched in June 2018, Too Good To Go has seen continuous growth in Switzerland.” The seven million saved meals mark is expected to be broken next week; last year it was around 2.5 million. As a possible reason for the success, Gurtner cites the general rise in prices over the past year.
«Insufficient solution»
TGTG is committed to fighting food waste. Mariella Meyer from the WWF does not only see this positively. She thinks the start-up benefits from raising public awareness. “However, this is not a sufficient solution for the waste that takes place along the entire value chain – from field to fork.” TGTG turns the distribution of overproduction into a business. But it is important to stop overproduction in the long term, says the spokeswoman for the environmental organization: “This requires commitment and cooperation between all those involved in the food industry.”
TGTG marketing director Yann Gurtner countered Meyer with the argument: “We work with schools, companies and politicians to transform our food system and get the world to think differently about throwing away food.”
Too Good To Go was founded to combat an existing problem – but also a complex one.