Around 75 kilograms of food are thrown away in Germany per person and year. In order to improve this food waste, there are now a number of food sharing platforms that have set themselves the task of distributing food that is about to expire or that is no longer needed. We present the four most popular apps for food sharing in this guide.
food sharing
The (web) app foodsharing was developed by the German association of the same name, which has set itself the task of limiting food waste in the private sector. You can also offer food that you do not use up yourself via the platform. Other people can then view them online and, if interested, send you a message to find a meeting point. Alternatively, you can store the food in so-called fair dividers . These are refrigerators that are open to the public in many large German cities. Other people can then simply take the food away.
Previously, the platform could only be accessed via a web view . But now there is an Android app , which is currently in the test phase. However, it is not yet known when the app will also be available on iOS devices. Both the website and the app could be improved in terms of design, but the advantage of foodsharing is that the platform is used by many and you can find buyers and current offers relatively quickly. Compared to other offers, foodsharing also sets itself apart in that the app is currently completely free of charge and free of advertising .
You can download foodsharing from the Google Play Store . Alternatively, the card with the current offers is available free of charge on the website at foodsharing.de/karte ..
UXA
UXA was developed by a startup from Munich that also wants to reduce food waste in the private sector. To do this, you can easily set groceries using the app with their expiry date and other people can request whether the offer is still available. A meeting point for the handover can then be arranged using the built-in message function.
If you are looking for specific foods, you can set up a " search agent " that automatically searches for search terms in your area. You will then be notified as soon as the groceries are available in your area.
After foodsharing, UXA is currently probably the second largest platform for sharing food in Germany. Especially in big cities You will find many different offers and buyers, on the other hand it is a bit sparse in the country.
You can download UXA free of charge from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store .
Olio
The Olio app is intended to network neighbors in particular, so that they can easily exchange all kinds of things. This can be helpful, for example, to give away leftover groceries shortly before a vacation instead of throwing it away. Are you missing an ingredient in your recipe? You may be able to get them from a neighbor through Olio instead of having to go to the supermarket. Due to the strong focus on the immediate neighborhood, it is also possible to offer food that has already been cooked as a gift if a little too much has been cooked.
As is usual with food sharing apps, you can easily set your own offers. You can access the food on offer via a map or list view and, if you are interested, you can write to the respective person directly via the built-in messenger. This makes it very easy to make an appointment for the food to be handed over.
In Germany, Olio is not yet that widespread, but the app is now available in 49 countries . The advantage of this is that it can also be used very well in other countries.
In addition to private individuals, small companies can also offer groceries for free or for sale via the app. A specialty of Olio is that apart from food, for example, too Tools , clothing , art or the like can be offered.
Olio is available free of charge from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store . So far, the offer is unfortunately only available in English and Spanish and in order to be able to use the map view permanently, a subscription for € 2.49 per month must be taken out..
Too good to go
Too Good To Go is probably the largest food sharing app in Germany for offers from small and large local companies such as bakers, restaurants or selected supermarkets. These should actually throw away leftover food due to hygiene guidelines, but they can still be conveyed to buyers via the app and thus saved from the bin.
As a customer, you will usually receive a surprise package of groceries that are left over from the day. You can often differentiate between vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free foods. The leftover food is always reduced by at least 50% , but in many cases much stronger. Packages can be reserved via the app and paid for in advance either directly in the store or by PayPal or credit card.
Too Good To Go is available free of charge from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store .
