Spar, International and BrewDog have entered deals with the firm behind the successful ‘Too Good to Go’ app, which gives users access to local discounted food that would otherwise go to waste. Association with apps like this can only benefit a brand, and, by providing a shared platform that ties together ethical, environmental and local concerns, both businesses and consumers can benefit, writes GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Ryan Whittaker, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Too Good to Go’s app proposition was always going to be popular, but it is likely to be more popular during the pandemic. Any app connecting businesses wanting to avoid wasted products and consumers that are feeling the economic pinch from COVID-19 are extremely valuable.”

A survey by GlobalData reports that approximately 44% of European consumers believe that it is more important to reduce or recycle food waste now than it was before the pandemic, and 41% believe reducing their environmental footprint is more important. This is significant and consumer-facing businesses need to take note. With such large numbers of consumers caring about the issue, as well as economic uncertainty and rising unemployment, it becomes a question of how brands can convince consumers that they care too.”

Multinational brewery and bar chain Brewdog has also partnered with Too Good to Go as pandemic lockdowns have resulted in a large volume of beer going to waste. Each time a Brewdog bar does its weekly line cleaning, pints that would’ve been wasted will instead be decanted into growlers for Too Good to Go users to collect the following day.

Whittaker continues: “Many companies claim to be trying to combat waste. This app makes the process quick and simple. As unemployment soars during COVID-19, there’s arguably never been a more necessary time for companies to be ethical, responsible and tied to the local community. Reducing food waste and feeding the hungry also reduces the energy costs required to produce and distribute the product.”

Sustainability, ethics and localism are becoming ever more critical to brands during the pandemic. A survey by GlobalData reports that 43%* of global consumers are always or often influenced by how sustainable or ethical a product is. Likewise, 47%*² of consumers said the COVID-19 pandemic had made ethical or sustainable production methods more important to them. Too Good to Go and similar apps are an opportunity for any retailer to do the right thing by local communities.

Whittaker concludes: “There’s a lot in this for brands and retailers. People knowing the positive impact their purchase is having on their local business, environment and poverty will induce brand loyalty, even for those who don’t need to use the service.”

* Covid-19 recovery tracker consumer survey, published 7 December, combining responses “always” and “often”

*² Covid-19 recovery tracker consumer survey, published 7 December, combining answers “It is now my top priority”, “significantly more important than before” and “slightly more important than before”