Macaluso pointed out that these apps are meant to sell small quantities of perishable goods, while food banks are typically set up to process much larger donations. “Those kinds of apps fill a very interesting and unique niche,” he said.
These apps also have the potential to reach people facing food insecurity. Flashfood says a minority of shoppers (about one in five) are experiencing food insecurity, according to its own survey data, and the company is working to allow government-assisted cards as a payment method. I’m in. A Too Good To Go spokeswoman said the company doesn’t accept food stamps and doesn’t have similar data on its users.
One problem, according to interviews with some of the companies selling on Too Good To Go, is that at least some of the items aren’t always considered “food waste” by buyers. Baltimore Desserts said the shop owner sees the app as a promotional tool to reach new customers by selling what he called “small samples.” One beverage company executive said he used the app to not only sell discontinued products, but also new flavors in hopes of attracting new customers.
Crummie, director of Too Good To Go, said the app’s required price point discouraged this type of behavior. “If someone is paying $5, they should receive $15 worth of food,” he said. “I mean, it’s not a profit-generating platform.” The company responded to user reviews and would end the partnership if companies misused the platform, he added.
In any case, Professor Broad Leib says he believes these apps are beneficial because they make users rethink their food waste. “The best way to change consumer behavior is to make people more aware of the problem,” she said.
Rexlord, a tax analyst in Austin and using Too Good To Go, thought about his impact on the climate. The app includes details on how much carbon dioxide she “saved” based on how many surprise her bags she bought (in her case her 419 pounds).
However, she noted that the numbers may not be entirely accurate. “They don’t know how much I contributed by fetching food,” Rexlord said. “I’m driving!”