Money Moral Dilemma: Is it OK to use a surplus food app even though I'm not struggling?

shykins

i volunteer for Olio food waste and trust me if we only waited on people who were 'struggling' to collect from us we would have an enormous surplus of wasted food every time we list

its about saving waste not saving money so please whether you need to or not consider using Olio, we hate having to waste items that we have been to the shop to collect to specifically stop it being wasted 

chaoszone

I don't see an issue when it's food waste. I'd rather someone have it than just let it perish. I sometimes use TGTG when I'm going out in an evening. I find that Upper Crust tend to give a decent amount so I just share it with someone who I feel is genuinely homeless through no fault of their own rather than risk some of it going to waste. The bigger dilemma I find is not doing it in such a way that seems patronising or it being the same person all the time. I feel there's a risk of them expecting it. I won't just give it away for the sake of it. If I'm likely to use it then I keep it. For all I know they may have got more off others and had more than me.

chaoszone

It can be an eye opener how much fresh food can be wasted at food banks. A number of times my brother's partner has posted on fb that there's a load of food going to waste that anybody can grab at the local church. Sometimes it's just been tins that have been past their sell by date. As I understand it that's after the "more needy" which I find sometimes has been a contradiction when it comes down to priorities, something I'm probably aware of because we were poor and had to 'cut our coat according to our cloth'.

bettyboo1923

Husbandofstinky said:

It should all go straight to the food bank. Some perishables may be an issue but I'm sure that can be remedied if there is a will. I would anticipate that food waste at a food bank is amlost nil for all those using the food waste argument as justification.

Unfortunately for many self preservation is a human nature and we only have to go back to Covid and the hoarding from the shops as well as profiteering (I can remember the price of alchol gel/toilet paper on ebay). To me, here it is the self preservation of wealth ('I like a good bargain'). However, this is for the basics like food. I know a few wealthly very affluent pensioners who enjoy just this, camping out for the bargains and then hoovering them up (they know what things go on offer and when at all the local supermarkets). When quizzed all you get is 'well you have to look after the pennies...'

All I can say is go and watch 'I Daniel Blake'

Bypass Joe Public and straight to the food bank. Certain perishables may be an issue, but I am sure this can be sorted with a bit of effort.

Most of the food coming out of supermarkets has a Use By date of the day it is given out to various organisations.  Thise organisations do not collect the surplus until about 9pm.  After midnight- by law - that foid cannot be given away.  How many food banks  are willing to collect and stay open until midnight to distribute this food and more to the point how many people would be willing to go to pick it up from the food bank?

shykins

Betty a lot of what is giving out is actually Best Before so perfectly ok the following days   .   when we do get Use By you would be surprised how many people will come out and get it as that tends to be higher value foods 

MrsStepford

We were poor for the first five years of our marriage and haunted the yellow sticker sections. I remember getting lots of dented tins, a huge bag of frozen chips for 50p, a dozen quails eggs for 10p and a lot of salmon fillets and smoked salmon, for £2. I don't go to supermarkets now, I have food delivered. If I did visit any, I wouldn't pick over the YS section. I remember being poor so I would want to leave the food for those who need it. 

tastyhog

Yes, it's surplus food that would otherwise go in the bin, using a food bank on the other hand would be immoral.