The campaign invites you to "give a gift to the planet" by making the most of food at year-end dinners

It is normal for families in Chile to gather around a table with delicious preparations and celebrate Christmas together at the end of the year. However, much of the food is left over and, ultimately, ends up becoming waste. In order to promote conscious consumption this year-end, Jumbo has launched "Christmas is to share", a campaign that aims to raise awareness among Chilean families about the importance of avoiding food waste, planning their purchases, properly preserving food and using it in its entirety.

Because yes: food waste is not only a social or humanitarian concern, but also an environmental one. All the energy and water required to grow, harvest, transport and pack them is lost, which can generate more greenhouse gases. Likewise, if food is wasted, it ends up in landfills generating even more greenhouse gases. In fact, according to data from the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF), food waste would generate approximately 8% of all GHG emissions caused by man.

"At Jumbo we are aware that food waste is a serious problem, so this Christmas we want to motivate Chilean families to organize their year-end meals, save food for the next day and even take advantage of them in special and tasty preparations for the whole family. This year-end we want to promote conscious consumption, and we do so through a touching campaign that invites children and adults to unite for a warmer and more sustainable Christmas," says Rodrigo Sahr, Marketing Manager of Cencosud Supermarkets.

In 2021, Cencosud Supermarkets has been working on various Sustainability Programs focused on energy efficiency, sustainable packaging, development of small suppliers, healthy culture, among others. It is in this context where the 0% Waste Program is framed, which seeks to reduce loss and waste, mainly of food, throughout our value chain.

One of the axes of work is to promote responsible consumption in our clients, which is why for weeks Jumbo has been sharing good practices of conservation and preparation of food through its social networks, and which is in line with a close, cheerful and colorful advertising spot, which through a mobilizing message will seek to teach the importance of not throwing away food and deliver ideas to make the most of what we have. The situation occurs around a table, which represents the space of union and conversation of families, where the learnings that will lead us to be a more conscious society with the environment are nourished. This will be accompanied by a TikTok "challenge" that will be spread by Princesa Alba on her social networks, a national artist who will help position Jumbo's message for this festivity.

More than a year of Food Rescue

This campaign is part of several initiatives that Cencosud Supermarkets is promoting to prevent the loss and waste of food. An example of this is the Food Rescue Program, an initiative that has been present since June 2020 whose purpose is to give the best destination to products that for various reasons can no longer be sold, but are in excellent condition for consumption. Although it began with 12 Jumbo and Santa Isabel locations in the Metropolitan Region, today it reaches 40 rooms and in November made its first donation at the regional level, through the Food Network in Jumbo Rancagua.

The initiative began with donations of fruits, vegetables, and groceries, to which dairy products and fresh baked goods were later added. Today Cencosud decided to add meat products (chicken, pork, and beef) under the concept "Protein Rescue", an element particularly sensitive in terms of handling, storage, logistics, and distribution, but which, given the efforts to ensure high quality standards, will be donated from different establishments in the chain.

"At Cencosud Supermarkets we dare to take this step, because we have seen that the storage, handling and processing of food carried out by foundations and organizations like Núcleo Humanitario, assure us that these foods will not lose their cold chain and quality standards, reaching in optimal condition for consumption. Partnerships like these have allowed all the fruits and vegetables of the more than 2,500,000 food rations that Núcleo Humanitario has delivered since the beginning of the program, to have been provided by Jumbo and Santa Isabel, allowing delicious and healthy food to reach those who need it most," comments Rodrigo Sahr, adding that they plan to expand the program not only in the Metropolitan Region and the VI region, but nationally for which they are already in conversations with other partners, companies and organizations in order to expand the program in the V and VIII region.