On Monday 22 February, Denmark's first supermarket selling surplus food was opened in Amager. WeFood offers a variety of foods, including fruit and vegetables, that otherwise would have been thrown out either because it was beyond its stated purchase date or because of packaging damage. Prices at the store will be 30 to 50 percent cheaper than those in normal supermarkets.
"WeFood is the first supermarket of its kind in Denmark and perhaps the world as it is not just aimed at low-income shoppers but anyone who is concerned about the amount of food waste produced in this country," Per Bjerre from the NGO behind the market, Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (DanChurch Aid), said.
With over 700,000 tonnes of food thrown away in Denmark every year, WeFood is seen as another important step in a nation that has already cut its food waste by a full 25 percent over the past five years.
Monday's grand opening was the result of over a year to get the WeFood project off the ground. One million kroner was raised by crowdfunding and DanChurch Aid had to work closely with politicians to overcome legislative obstacles in regard to the sale of food with expired dates before the shop could go ahead. Only once the existing rules had been changed was the shop possible.
Operated by DanChurch Aid, the project is backed by Føtex and Danske Supermarked, which will be providing the bulk of the stock in the shop. Fresh fruit and vegetables will come from a smaller independent supplier. The profits go towards DanChurch Aid's work in the world's poorest countries.
If the first WeFood shop proves a success, the charity said it would open more in other cities across Denmark.
