Japan’s services and apps to fight food waste in 2022

Too often, food is thrown away when it could originally have been eaten. Reducing such food waste is one of the major social issues today.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, approximately 5.70 million tons of food waste is generated annually in Japan, which means that each citizen throws away the equivalent to a bowlful of rice every day.

About half of the problematic food waste is generated by businesses, including restaurants and retailers. These food wastes occur for various reasons, including weather, the impact of surrounding events, cancelled reservations, ordering errors and maintaining product assortments. In this article, we introduce six food-sharing apps and sites in Japan to save surplus food and the features of each.

3 services that tackle food waste through shopping

KURADASHI

In Japan, there is a one-third rule for manufacturers of food products. This rule states that once one-third of the time between the production date and the expiration date is reached, the product can no longer be shipped. This causes some products to be discarded even though they are still edible. Seasonal packages are also prone to being discarded. In some cases, products designed as summer items are no longer in demand in the fall and end up in inventory even though the contents are still edible.

KURADASHI is working to solve this type of food waste in a sustainable manner. Products that might otherwise become food waste due to seasonal packaging and other factors are offered for sale at a sponsored price by manufacturers who support food waste reduction efforts. Consumers can purchase products on the e-commerce site for up to 97% off the list price. A portion of the profits is then donated to NPOs and other social contribution organizations. In this way, users save money on their purchases, and in addition to reducing food waste, they can make a casual contribution to society.

Start your action by shopping with KURADASHI.

LET

LET is a marketplace for buying and selling “translated products” such as excess inventory, discontinued products, special items, B-grade products and substandard products. Anyone can download the app in as little as one minute and start listing “reasonableness” items.

As of March 2022, the number of users has exceeded five million and continues to grow rapidly with the addition of the Corona Disaster Support category on their site. Unlike new and used products, this service creates a new market that matches people who want to dispose of new products that cannot be sold through normal sales channels with those who want to buy them at a discount.

Start your action by downloading the LET app through App Store or Google Play for free. (in Japanese)

Foodloop

Foodloop is a platform involving all three parties in the food industry cycle–producers, restauranteurs and consumers. They are set up at multiple points in this cycle such as in food cultivation and disposal. It creates opportunities to be involved throughout the process while fostering relationships and creating local economic circulation. One nice aspect of this platform is that everyone involved can play a leading role.

Foodloop was launched in June 2021, based in Miura Peninsula, Kanagawa Prefecture. The concept is not just about “consumption” but also about “circulation.” Foodloop is also involved in activities such as CSA-type marche, a delivery service that offers specialties processed from “mottainai” vegetables, and composting so that people can think and act for “circulation” according to their individual standpoint.

Start your action by shopping with Foodloop.

2 services to solve restaurant food waste

TABETE

TABETE is a platform that connects “eaters” with meals that are still delicious and safe to eat but are in danger of being discarded, such as when the store is about to close, to support the final sale. Once you’ve purchased your favorite products from the store where you received your rescue request, all you have to do is go to the store at the designated time, show the app screen, and you’re done! There is no registration or monthly fee for users (eaters).

As of March 2022, TABETE’s cumulative number of registered users exceeded 500,000, and the cumulative number of registered restaurants is over 2,000. Restaurants and retailers can list meals in danger of being discarded, starting with a single item. According to a survey, more than 88% of restaurants and retailers that have adopted TABETE have found it effective in reducing food waste.

Start your action by downloading the TABETE app through App Store or Google Play for free. (in Japanese)

marugohan by Second Harvest

Marugohan is operated by Second Harvest Japan, which began its activities in 2000 as the first food bank in Japan. It receives food donations from businesses and individuals trying to reduce food waste.

As a food safety net, marugohan aims to help people who need food and support from society. It offers a unique system where users can receive food by doing social contribution activities called “one action” instead of earning money. Moreover, marugohan is a market-style food bank where users “choose their food.”

Start your action by donating to the food drive or donating online for Second Harvest Japan.

A service to reduce household food waste

Food Loss Diary

Studies by Gomi Japan have shown that simply keeping records tends to reduce food loss. By becoming aware of the amount of food loss and the behaviors that tend to lead to food loss, ingenuity in reducing food loss can be adopted and lead to a reduction.

The “Food Loss Diary” app was developed as a project of the Ministry of the Environment to reduce food waste from households. On days when you have thrown away food without using it or leftovers, you can record what and how much (weight) you have thrown away. The recording is straightforward as you only need to follow the instructions on the screen.

Start your action by signing up for Food Loss Diary for free. (in Japanese)

Some people may feel that the term “food waste reduction” alone is too daunting and that they do not know where to start. However, just by shopping or keeping a record of your waste, you could help reduce food waste, depending on the platforms you use. There is also a mechanism to help solve social issues in the form of donations. We hope you will consider using some of these services and start your action today.