Mercadona: tons of food thrown away instead of donated
Tons of unsold food end up in the bins every day at Mercadona, Spain's biggest supermarket chain, which donates neither to Cáritas nor uses Too Good To Go. The mystery of the paellas.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Mercadona and the food it throws away: the mystery of the unsold paellas
A late-evening stroll through the ready-meals section of one of the chain's supermarkets reveals entire trays of rabbit paella, prawn paella, croquettes and burgers, untouched and about to expire. The question is an uncomfortable one: how many tons end up in the bin every day?
What happens to the surplus
According to available reports, the chain does not work with Too Good To Go and does not donate its near-expiry food to Cáritas. So the fate of that surplus is a mystery. Some claim it is resold to bars; others say it goes straight into the containers. With no official figures, the mystery persists.
The business of throwing food away
The economic argument has some substance: if they sold perishables at cost price at the end of the day, they would lose less money than throwing them out. But then customers would wonder whether the regular price isn't a rip-off with inflated margins. And that is not in their interest.
The anecdote that illustrates the change in habits: until the 2008-2014 crisis, leftovers went into the neighbourhood bins and locals collected them. Now, so the story goes, they are collected by lorries and dumped far away, so nobody sees them. Tons and tons disappearing without a trace.
Meanwhile, the chain offers no explanations. And the mystery of the paellas remains, intact, waiting for someone to do the maths.
A late-evening stroll through the ready-meals section of one of the chain's supermarkets reveals entire trays of rabbit paella, prawn paella, croquettes and burgers, untouched and about to expire. The question is an uncomfortable one: how many tons end up in the bin every day?
What happens to the surplus
According to available reports, the chain does not work with Too Good To Go and does not donate its near-expiry food to Cáritas. So the fate of that surplus is a mystery. Some claim it is resold to bars; others say it goes straight into the containers. With no official figures, the mystery persists.
The business of throwing food away
The economic argument has some substance: if they sold perishables at cost price at the end of the day, they would lose less money than throwing them out. But then customers would wonder whether the regular price isn't a rip-off with inflated margins. And that is not in their interest.
The anecdote that illustrates the change in habits: until the 2008-2014 crisis, leftovers went into the neighbourhood bins and locals collected them. Now, so the story goes, they are collected by lorries and dumped far away, so nobody sees them. Tons and tons disappearing without a trace.
Meanwhile, the chain offers no explanations. And the mystery of the paellas remains, intact, waiting for someone to do the maths.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (50 replies).
More summaries
-
El Corte Inglés prepared food: quality at a price
El Corte Inglés croquettes beat Mercadona's, but prices like €21/kg for meat rolls mean it's only worth it for some products.
-
Mercadona: Frozen fries cheaper than fresh potatoes
Why are Mercadona's frozen potatoes cheaper than fresh ones? Analysis of costs, logistics and margins in the shopping basket.
-
Battery-powered bathroom fan: the offer doesn't keep up
A bathroom fan uses only 15 watts, like a light bulb. Yet battery-powered versions are scarce. Moisture can be solved, but not with batteries.
-
Spain's anti-short-term-rental movement: a scam backed by hotel funding
Behind the protests against holiday rentals lies a hotel lobbying operation that discriminates against small property owners.
-
PVC or aluminium windows with double or triple glazing: the technical truth
A technical guide to windows: PVC vs aluminium and double vs triple glazing. We look at what actually delivers efficiency.
-
Legalizing an old shed in Spain: mission impossible or manageable paperwork?
Legalizing an old shed in Spain is possible after 6 years, but with limitations. We explain deadlines, risks and the 'alegal situation' figure in Galicia.