According to the European Grocery Retailing Institute, food waste costs retailers an average of 2% of their net sales, significantly impacting profit margins. One of the primary drivers of food waste is the inefficient management of products nearing their expiry dates, often caused by delayed identification of items “at risk.” While in-store expiry date verification is essential, it can be time-consuming and prone to errors, especially on a large scale. Changes in store layouts or product placement can further complicate this task.
Streamlining In-Store Efficiency with Digital Solutions
In grocery stores without digital tools, employees spend an average of 90 to 120 minutes daily manually checking perishable products. Fresh items require even more frequent monitoring due to stricter quality standards.
The Too Good To Go Platform, an all-in-one solution for managing unsold food, helps stores significantly reduce this verification time. By digitizing product data, employees can cut monitoring time by two-thirds, spending just 30 to 40 minutes daily. The platform identifies 1 to 5% of products that need attention, allowing employees to focus on these specific items. The system also recommends how to reuse these products, whether through in-store promotions, Surprise Baskets available on the Too Good To Go app, or donations to local organizations.
Enhancing Efficiency with Hanshow’s Digital Solutions
Through a new partnership with Hanshow, a leader in retail digital solutions, Too Good To Go aims to make surplus food management even more efficient. Hanshow’s electronic shelf labels, equipped with a flashing LED “pick-to-light” feature, are now integrated with the Too Good To Go Platform. When employees access the platform to check product expiry dates, the Hanshow labels flash for two to three seconds, helping staff quickly locate items for inspection.
This innovative solution improves accuracy in product identification, saving time and enhancing operational efficiency. In addition, it boosts customer experience and reduces food waste, making it a win for both retailers and the environment.
Leadership Perspectives on the Partnership
“By integrating Too Good To Go’s platform with Hanshow’s cutting-edge technology, we help retailers better manage surplus food, saving them time and improving margins, all while contributing to the fight against food waste,” said Meleyne Rabot, France Director of Too Good To Go.
Pierre Fosseux, VP of Hanshow France, added, “Our partnership with Too Good To Go underscores our commitment to sustainability and operational efficiency in retail. Together, we’re helping retailers streamline operations, reduce food waste, and improve the customer experience.”
Encouraging Results from Pilot Tests
Initial trials in six French stores yielded promising results. Feedback from staff revealed nearly 20% in time savings when checking product dates, along with a simplified daily workflow. The pilot results indicate that each store could save an estimated 39 hours of work per year, with one store reporting a 56% reduction in the time spent locating products for inspection.
About Hanshow
Hanshow is a global leader in developing electronic shelf labels and digital store solutions. With services provided in over 50 countries, Hanshow’s solutions help retailers optimize pricing strategies, streamline operations, and offer consumers a personalized shopping experience. Learn more at www.hanshow.com.
About Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go, a certified B Corp, helps food businesses repurpose surplus food to reduce waste. With more than 100 million registered users and 170,000 partners across 18 countries, Too Good To Go offers a wide range of solutions, including its app, Surprise Baskets, and the Too Good To Go Platform, to help food companies better manage their surplus.
