One Retailer’s Commitment To Reduce Waste And Save Shoppers Money

Raley's is a leader in health & wellness, and now we can add reducing waste to the list

Raley’s, as I’m sure you know by now, is one of the grocery retailers that I admire and look to and to see innovation. Not just operationally, but also for their shoppers. They are leaders in health & wellness, and now we can add reducing waste to the list. Raley’s Director of Sustainability Mark Koppang told Winsight Grocery Business “We have been able to make a significant impact on food waste. Over the past two years, we’ve prevented more than 500,000 pounds of food waste by identifying products expiring soon with Date Check Pro—some only needing to be rotated back to the front of the shelf and others needing a markdown.” Their secret weapon is software. A program, Pinpoint’s Date Check Pro, designed to identify expiring products with the goal of reducing food waste by offering their shoppers discounts on those products as well as donating products nearing expiration to food banks and other charities. 

“We’ve also been able to save our shoppers who purchase these discounted products more than $1 million in the past two years,” said Koppang. We talk a lot about the problem of food waste, and it’s a complicated issue – from the farm, to the consumer to the retailer. This solution is smart. It is rewarding shoppers by offering a discount and clearing the shelves for Raley’s. Is it the 100% solution? Of course not -but it’s a great start and a solution we urge every retailer to explore.