Too Good to Go, Flashfood Cut Grocery Costs by 50% as Shoppers Save $458.9 Million
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 1
Too Good to Go, Flashfood Cut Grocery Costs by 50% as Shoppers Save $458.9 Million
2 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 1
$458.9 million in U.S. savings has come from Too Good to Go’s discounted “surprise bags,” which sell surplus food at more than 50% off and often about one-third of retail price.
120 million users and 180,000 partners now use Too Good to Go across 21 countries; in the U.S. it operates in 62 cities and plans to reach just under 70 by year-end.
530-plus Whole Foods stores offer bags priced from $6.99 to $9.99, letting shoppers buy produce, meat or seafood nearing best-by dates while supporting the grocer’s broader waste-reduction efforts.
2,000 grocery stores in 28 states partner with Flashfood, where shoppers pick specific discounted items rather than mystery bags; the app also expanded a pilot with Kroger earlier this year.
40% of food produced globally goes to waste, and both apps are gaining traction as inflation keeps grocery budgets tight and retailers look for alternatives to throwing out edible food.
Surprise bags or chosen items: which food-saving model will ultimately win over consumers?
With food prices still rising, are these apps a temporary fix or the future of grocery shopping?
Do food rescue apps simply enable overproduction instead of solving it?