Food donation anti-waste in times of Covid-19: "It's more than practical, it's essential!"

One Friday evening, a long line of young people stretched out in front of a trendy bar, the sound of bass rocking the sidewalk.

Does it bring back good memories?

Except that in front of the Social bar in Paris (12th century), the students who enter masked on their noses and in the strictest respect for barrier gestures come out with a bag full of unsold food.

Including prepared meals straight from one of Sodexo's central kitchens, a first.

When you leave the bar, the atmosphere is surprisingly festive: Houda, 23, and Chaïna, 25, both in international studies at Paris X, meet Miassa there, she in Paris VIII in eco - business management, already. encountered during a previous unsold distribution.

“Frankly, in this period, limiting waste is more than practical, it is essential!

We no longer have a job and life in Paris is expensive!

»Summarizes Miassa, hat with a pompom pulled over her ears.

Earlier this month, the UN sounded the alarm: every year around the world, nearly one billion tonnes (931 million tonnes) of food ends up in the dumpster.

This is the equivalent of nearly 20% of the food available to the inhabitants of the world.

In Paris (13th century), Friday March 19.

A long queue in front of the Social Bar which opened its space to the Humanity Diaspo association for a distribution of food aid./LP/Olivier Arandel  

In Paris, Miassa is rearranging the contents of her tote: canned food at the bottom, bananas and fresh peas on the top so as not to crush them.

Before, the young girl had a little job at Franprix, so she is unbeatable on donations, "we are distributed products that will expire within two or three days".

Same expertise at Chaïna, this evening “beneficiary”, but also herself mobilized in an association of food aid to her neighbors of residence in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine).

One euro the starter-main-dessert menu

Houda, she opted for fish and prepared meals arrived by truck from the Sodexo kitchen in Asnières (Hauts-de-Seine).

As of Monday, March 22, and for three months, the group undertakes to distribute up to 20,000 unsold meals.

“Our twenty-four central kitchens will provide students with surplus meals each week, in several French cities, until June.

There had to be a limit, and during the holidays, the kitchens do not turn ”, specifies Lydia Radix, general manager of the Schools and University segment of Sodexo.

Bringing a collective catering actor into the loop, "it's a hell of a challenge, and 1000 full meals per week is not nothing", welcomes Jean Moreau, co-founder of the Phénix association, which highlights music collection of donations and distribution to student associations.

He hopes that other giants of the “restaurant co” will follow.

The students who came to the Social Bar in Paris (13th century) for the distribution of food aid leave with a full shopping bag./LP/Olivier Arandel  

On paper, the Garot law “imposes” the distribution of its unsold products, in fact, it is a simple obligation of means.

What is developing better and better in supermarkets remains shy among the pros of school or company canteens ... Also because a certain number of foodstuffs are prohibited for donations: offal, shrimp, steaks, products made from pastry cream, for example.

But nothing prevents them from being sold at discounted prices.

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So that these foods do not end up in the dumpster either, Sodexo is teaming up with an actor in the fight against food waste, the TooGoodToGo app: students will be able to withdraw baskets of two to four meals, at 1 euro per starter-main-dessert menu.

Some 450 baskets, the equivalent of 1,100 meals, should be saved each week.

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And then the prepared meals are also "practical for some students, if they only have a small microwave, they will not be able to cook, if they do not have a fridge, we will not deliver to them. du Picard ”, underlines Rana Hamra, founder of Humanity Diaspo (contact@humanitydiaspo.org, 07 69 82 43 22, if you wish to be a beneficiary), who is in charge of the donation that evening.

Within the limits, we often think that food, hallal, kosher, vegan is prohibited… but the kitchen equipment is even more important ”.

An influx of donations at each confinement

This year of Covid-19 has been special for those involved in anti-waste.

With the health crisis, the demand for food donations has exploded: + around 39% compared to 2019.

“In fact, with each confinement, we experienced an influx of donations,” reports Jean Moreau.

Restaurant owners and their suppliers found themselves with a lot of food on their hands.

The only good news is that "manufacturers have continued to play the game while" we feared that in panic, they would prioritize elsewhere ", confesses the co-founder of Phénix.

The vagaries of the donation also outline the changes of these past twelve months so special.

“Snacking, yet very fashionable until then, has completely disappeared from our collections,” notes Jean Moreau, because people are at home at lunchtime, they no longer go to buy sandwiches or sandwiches. ready-made salads to eat on the go.