The Dark Side of Prosperity

When fresh rolls end up in the bin and what we can do about it

It is no longer a secret: in Germany, far too many foodstuffs end up in the rubbish that are by no means inedible. This often happens in one's own household because one has overestimated oneself during the weekly shop and ultimately part of what was bought simply vegetates in the fridge until it is finally disposed of – or else in supermarkets, where tastefully impeccable fruit and vegetables occasionally end up in the bin simply because it may have a bruise, i.e. does not conform to the "standard". Is it then reprehensible that some people deliberately rescue these products from the rubbish? 

So-called "skipping" is not only carried out by people living on the edge of subsistence, but also by those who have consciously decided no longer to stand idly by in the face of alarming food waste. However, the rescue does not always proceed without consequences, as in 2019 the removal of food scraps remained illegal. The arguments against legalising skipping come mainly from CDU/CSU circles: obtaining food from waste containers is undignified and problematic from a hygiene perspective. How the legal situation regarding skipping will look in future in this country therefore remains to be seen. A prime example of the persistence of supporters are two female students from Olching in Bavaria. After they had rescued several edible foodstuffs from a supermarket skip, they were convicted of theft. But the two of them were far from thinking of giving up. The two women announced in November 2019 that they would lodge a constitutional complaint. For them, it was more about morality than a lighter sentence. For the students, throwing away food is an enormous waste of resources and therefore in no way acceptable. To raise more awareness of the issue, they started a blog on which they inform about current developments in their case, amongst other things. Anyone who wants to support the two has the opportunity to sign their petition. This aims to oblige supermarkets in Germany to donate and distribute surplus foodstuffs to various institutions.

The goods that end up in the rubbish after the shop closes are in most cases perfectly fine and often still in the original packaging. These are elaborately manufactured products that have mostly travelled a long distance. Sustainability looks different. According to calculations by the University of Stuttgart, thirteen million tonnes of perfectly good food are thrown away annually. Thirteen million tonnes too many. And yet supporters continue to encounter fierce resistance: opponents of skipping classify the rescue of foodstuffs as trespass and theft. Anyone looking for alternatives to combat food waste could find what they are looking for with the app "Too Good To Go". For some years now, German restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and bakeries have also been taking part in the food-sharing app. Participation is very simple: after registration, the user is shown participating businesses nearby and what foodstuffs are available there. The companies provide boxes containing different dishes each day. Once the user has decided which spot they want to buy their surprise box from, they receive information about when they can collect it. So you rescue food that would otherwise have to be disposed of and also save money in the process. There are now also businesses in Würzburg that participate in "Too Good to go": the branches of Marktcafé Brandstetter, Nordsee, both Real supermarkets, the Novotel Würzburg, and Dean & David in Maulhardgasse. In the latter, for example, you can get a selection of delicious sandwiches, wraps, salads or cakes for just €4.50. 

Of course, skipping should not become the norm. But given the current situation, those opposed to legalisation in politics should not be surprised in any way. As long as there is no statutory ban on waste disposal for supermarkets in Germany, skipping will not stop either. Anyone who does not offer longer-term, more sustainable alternatives should not expect others to stand by uninvolved and not take matters into their own hands. Whatever the cost.

Karina Thieme and Jakob Nützel