Waste Less, Eat Better: The Food Markdown App Revolution

2025-06-26 06:00:54.639

Sophia Kokolakis's dinner plans are always a surprise, thanks to Too Good To Go, an app where she buys discounted, soon-to-be-trashed food from grocery stores and restaurants. This is part of a growing trend: markdown apps are helping people save money and reduce food waste. In 2023, the US wasted 73.9 million tons of food, with retailers and restaurants contributing significantly. Apps like Too Good To Go (120 million users) and Flashfood (1.5 million users) partner with businesses to list excess food at reduced prices. Businesses like Soul Good Fine Food and Pizza Jeans use these apps to avoid waste, gain new customers, and cover costs. While food safety is a concern, apps have policies requiring adherence to regulations and allow users to report spoiled food. The impact is significant: ReFED estimates these apps could save up to 881,000 tons of food waste annually. However, challenges remain: limited awareness among vendors and customers, overly cautious food culture, and uncertainty about how much of the purchased food is actually consumed. Despite these challenges, users like Kokolakis appreciate the affordability, the chance to try new things, and the positive environmental impact.