Cencosud announces its regional food rescue program

Cencosud announced the implementation of its Regional Food Rescue Program, an initiative aimed at combating food loss and waste. The plan is to consolidate and implement best practices in internal efficiency, donation, final disposal, and responsible consumption, as stated by the company in a press release.

In this regard, product demand estimation will be improved to reduce spoilage and enhance food availability in its stores. Alliances will be established with organizations to manage donations and reach vulnerable groups. In addition, the company will manage products to prevent them from ending up in landfills and will promote consumption habits among customers to reduce organic waste.

"With these types of initiatives and the scale that Cencosud has in the region, we hope to make a significant contribution to those who need it most, in all the countries where we operate. This is a task that we are developing on several fronts with the support of the entire Company," said Marisol Fernández, Manager of Investor Relations and Sustainability at Cencosud.

In Chile, the company has 20 locations in the Metropolitan Region that are supporting this initiative. In the last 12 months, about 24 tons of food have been rescued. In collaboration with the NGO Núcleo Humanitario, an average of 1.3 million food rations have been generated, mainly composed of fruits, vegetables, and groceries.

Cencosud's initiatives have also been implemented in other countries where the company operates. Among them, in Argentina, where more than 500 tons were rescued last year thanks to an alliance with the Argentine Network of Food Banks and the Salvation Army. In Brazil, operational procedures are being improved to prevent the disposal of fruits and vegetables due to transport damage, with about 40 tons of food donated. In Colombia, the program started 19 years ago, where there are alliances with various food banks; while in Peru, the company is working with Banco de Alimentos Peru and Cáritas Lima, with donations that have exceeded 220 tons.