Lidl GB announces launch of new surplus food redistribution trial in partnership with Neighbourly and Olio
Lidl GB has ramped up its partnership with Neighbourly, introducing a new trial with the food sharing app Olio to redistribute more surplus food.
Managed by Neighbourly, the model introduces Olio’s Food Waste Hero network as an extra layer to support the discounter’s primary charity partners. Using the free Olio app, registered Food Waste Heroes collect items in the evenings, including chilled food, meat, fish, and poultry, alongside Lidl bakery goods, and share them with neighbours for free.
Launching Friday 15th May across 20 stores in London and Northern England, the trial, if successful, is expected to redistribute more than 5,000 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 11.9 million meals, to those in need annually. With ambitions for a nationwide roll-out by the end of the year, the initiative is pitched as a critical step toward Lidl GB's target to reduce food waste by 70% by the end of FY2030.
Matt Juden, Head of Sustainability at Lidl GB, says: “We believe that no good food should ever go to waste. While we have already made massive strides in reducing our surplus, this extension of our Neighbourly managed programme allows us to have even more impact. It ensures that we are reaching every corner of the communities we serve, making sure edible food stays on plates and out of the bin."
Steve Butterworth, CEO at Neighbourly, says: “Our mission has always been to ensure as much edible surplus food as possible goes to those in our communities that need it most. By expanding the programme to evening collections and including Olio’s Food Waste Heroes, we are providing Lidl with a robust additional redistribution layer. This isn’t about diverting food away from charities, it’s about opening up new streams of chilled and fresh produce for them, while ensuring nothing goes to waste if a charity can’t make it.”
Saasha Celestial-One, Co-founder and COO at Olio, says: “We’re delighted to be joining forces with Neighbourly and Lidl. We’re looking forward to working together to maximise the amount of edible surplus that can reach local communities from Lidl stores, and making sure as little food as possible goes to waste. We’re excited to see the impact of the trial, and we know our volunteers will be thrilled to have the chance to rescue Lidl food via our app.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Green retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
