Lidl's Too Good To Waste boxes provide around 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £2, a money-saving option for families during the school holidays. The boxes are typically found near the tills at the front of the store, and the best time to find them is first thing in the morning.
What's inside the box?
One shopper picked up a box this week and found a full pack of red seedless grapes, a pack of flat peaches, some red onions, a bag of carrots, tomatoes, and an orange. Most of the produce was in great condition, with the carrots slightly brown in places but fine for peeling and cutting into sticks.
The flat peaches alone would typically cost £2.39 a pack, or £1.79 with the Lidl Plus app, so the box already offers good value. Grapes usually cost £1.89, or £1.49 with the app, and carrots are also a regular purchase.
How the scheme works
Lidl first launched the boxes in 2019 to reduce food waste by selling wonky or imperfect fruit and veg, or items nearing the end of their shelf life, rather than discarding them. The contents of each box vary, so shoppers can choose one that suits them, but products cannot be swapped.
The boxes are one of several initiatives by the retailer to cut food waste. Having exceeded its original target to reduce food waste by 40% by the end of its last financial year, up to the end of February 2026, Lidl has set a new target to reduce food waste by 70% by the end of the 2030 financial year.
New trials to redistribute food
Lidl's new Surplus Saviours trial with Neighbourly in the Midlands aims to redistribute more than 5,000 tonnes of food to those in need. The scheme allows registered individuals, including charity volunteers and customers, to collect unsold surplus food, with extended collection times and access to fresh and chilled items approaching their use-by date later in the evening.
In addition, Lidl has launched an animal feed trial in the Peterborough region, diverting inedible fresh bakery lines, including croissants and bread loaves, to create animal feed.
Matt Juden-Bloomfield, head of sustainability at Lidl GB, said: “At Lidl, we set ambitious targets that challenge how we operate and inspire innovation when it comes to food waste. We've made good strides, but we know we can do more. With that in mind, we have increased our targets to ensure we remain accountable and also introduced some exciting new trials to take things to the next level. We remain committed to accelerating our progress in this space and collaborating closely with our industry peers to drive lasting impact for both the environment and the communities we are at the heart of.”
