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Wales Asda Store Praised For Giving Excess Vegetables Away For Free

Wales Asda Store Praised For Giving Excess Vegetables Away For Free

People on social media are now calling for other supermarkets around the UK to follow suit...

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

It's that time of the year where virtually everyone is in a food coma and can't seem to get off the couch following a few hectic days over Christmas. But think about how much food people must have wasted during this festive period - even a few left overs per person adds up to an incredible amount.

But supermarket chain ASDA is making sure that it won't be a part of that wastage and has been giving away surplus vegetables.

Shopper Aled Williams uploaded a photo of a bevy of packed trolleys at his local store in Barry, Wales.

The dad of two has told LADbible: "I thought the initiative was great. People were taking the odd bag, and they were looking at the security guards to see if they could, and [the guards] were just encouraging them.

"I tagged a local farm in Barry because I know they have a lot of livestock who would benefit from the food.

"It was nice to see and certainly at this time of year - but should it only be at Christmas?"

Mr Williams says his son bloody loves carrots, so the sight of all those orange sticks sitting in the trolleys was mouth-watering.

An Asda spokesperson told Wales Online: "After making sure our customers got great value on their Christmas dinner we didn't want to see the final bags of veg in our Barry store go to waste and so took the decision to give them away. We hope they were enjoyed."

ASDA
ASDA

Credit: PA

Aled adds: "Because it is such a period of indulgence, all this food is going to go to waste and when you think about all the other stores, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, ALDI, that's a lot of food that might go in the bin."

People on social media commended the Barry store for giving away their food and there are calls for other supermarkets to do the same.

Aldi drew commendation when it announced all unsold food would go to those in need on Christmas Eve - including bread, dairy products, and anything else perishable that charities and organisations can carry.

Obviously, supermarkets can't just give away out-of-date food as that would be a potential health nightmare. But that's not to say that there can't be other opportunities to find other uses for the products.

According to the Food Standards Agency, Brits waste seven million tonnes of food every year, with wastage costing an average family £470 each year.

Hopefully, other UK retailers will follow suit and even collaborate on initiatives to help those in need get some food.

Sources: Wales Online, Food Standards Agency

Featured Image Credit: Aled Williams

Topics: Food, Christmas, Awesome, Inspirational, Wales, Asda