The BRC has cautioned against harassing store workers, after a food waste activist filmed himself telling shopworkers he wanted the store to match his donation.
Social media activist Food_waste_inspector_ posted a video of himself this week telling an Aldi store worker he wanted the supermarket to donate three packets of rice if he paid for and donated a larger quantity.
After taking a few moments to understand his request, the worker said: “This needs to come from head office.”
Food_waste_inspector_, who has 65,000 followers on TikTok and 80,000 on Instagram, persisted: “But you’ve got the budget for that.”
Another video posted this week shows the campaigner putting the same challenge to a Lidl worker over pasta, saying he wants the store “as a goodwill gesture” to donate two bags of pasta and a jar of sauce if he buys and donates a larger quantity.
In both videos the workers appear to have been put in a difficult position and it is not clear whether they are aware Food_waste_inspector_ is filming the exchange.
In a video in a Tesco supermarket posted yesterday, Food_waste_inspector_ takes matters into his own hands by removing food from shelves and putting it straight in the store donation bin without paying for it.
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“Food retailers understand the challenges faced by many households, which is why they are working hard to keep prices as affordable as possible, as well as donating tens of millions of pounds worth of food every year to food banks and other charities,” said BRC director of food & sustainability Andrew Opie.
“Workers in stores do not need to be harassed to get this point across – there are already established processes for donating goods from both customers and the business itself.”
Food_waste_inspector_ was approached for comment.
The activist has made headlines in recent weeks by posting videos of bins filled with in-date food that still looks good to eat at the stores of a number of major grocers.
Read more: Why are supermarket bins ending up full of in-date edible food?
Three retailers targeted – Lidl, M&S and Waitrose – have said they are investigating the cases highlighted, adding they do not reflect their procedures for ensuring unsold edible food goes to those in need, while underlining the millions of meals a year they donate through charity partners such as FareShare and Neighbourly.
Waitrose has become the second retailer to arrange a meeting with Food_waste_inspector_, at a store near him on 2 February. “We look forward to meeting and discussing his findings,” said a Waitrose spokesperson.
The activist met with M&S last week and initially seemed encouraged, telling his followers it “went really well” and “hopefully over time the waste will massively reduce”. He has since posted nine new videos targeting M&S, including one in which he warns the retailer: “I’ll carry on showing it until you sort the problem out. It ain’t gonna go away.”
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