Lidl food waste exposé

Source: Instagram Food_waste_inspector

Waste found in Lidl bins, including fresh steaks and tinned food, is said to have been in date

Lidl has become the second major retailer to launch an investigation after being exposed on social media for food waste at stores.

Recent videos posted on Instagram and TikTok by Food_waste_inspector show bins at Lidl stores filled with in-date steaks and ambient food, and fruit that still looks good to eat.

One video shows waste that has been recovered from Lidl bins for someone who “needs the food”, including cereal and multiple tins of beans and tuna. “All in date,” Food_waste_inspector says in the video. “Everything’s in date.”

Another shows a bin containing a Parkside electric screwdriver, still in the box and working when Food_waste_inspector switches it on.

His latest video, posted today, says a Lidl store has begun loading waste “straight onto the truck so I cannot show you”, and shows large cardboard boxes being lifted into the back of a lorry.

He counts four boxes and says: “There’s all the food waste on Lidl’s truck tonight. They won’t let me go near it. Won’t let me see it, because they don’t want you, the public, to see this, what’s going on. So it’s all being hidden, night after night.”

A Lidl spokesperson told The Grocer: “Lidl is investigating videos showing potential compliance issues with our food waste procedures at several of our stores as a matter of high priority.

“We are grateful to Food_waste_inspector for drawing attention to this issue and are working closely with regional management teams and [food redistribution initiative] Neighbourly to ensure all colleagues are briefed and aware of the steps they need to take to donate surplus items.”

It comes after M&S yesterday said it had launched an investigation  after the same Instagram account showed wheelie bins full of in-date food behind one of its stores.

 

Lidl’s spokesperson went on: “The examples shared by Food_waste_inspector are not representative of our broader food redistribution work. Driven by initiatives such as ‘Too Good to Waste’ and ‘Feed It Back’, our year-on-year food donations have increased by 65% in the 2024/45 financial year, with over 18.5 million meals having been donated to over 2,800 good causes, supporting over four million people.

“We’re enormously encouraged by the progress made, which has been achieved through the dedicated work of the vast majority of Lidl colleagues and our partnerships with Neighbourly and local charities.

“Lidl also recognises food waste is a challenge for the wider retail industry and one best solved collectively. Alongside our own initiatives, we are working closely with our peers, including through Wrap’s working groups, to identify collaborative solutions to tackling food waste on a larger scale.”

Food_waste_inspector told The Grocer: “This is not a vendetta against any store, this is a problem with the waste. Once I know I’ve made a difference then I will remove all my videos showing the waste, but I have to see change before this happens.

“I would love the government to step in and help with this.”

Topics