More than 775,000 families and 3,100 social solidarity institutions received support in the first half of this year from waste-fighting company Phenix, which saved more than four million meals.
Data on “startups” released this Saturday indicate an 8 percent increase in the number of social solidarity institutions and a 15 percent increase in sales of baskets through an anti-waste app.
The French-based company, which aims to combat food and non-food waste, says it has recorded around five thousand tonnes of food saved in the first six months of the year, double the amount saved in the same period last year.
However, according to the data, donations in the first half of the year amounted to more than 15 million euros, which the startup says is more than 3.2 million euros more than the data for the same period in 2023.
“In the case of wages, this value corresponds to 20 thousand minimum wages in Portugal,” says the Phenix barometer, which also indicates a saving of 35 thousand tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent to 2,370 plane flights between Lisbon and Paris.
“Despite the slowdown in inflation worldwide, we continue to see more and more families relying on donations and waste bins,” said Carlos Hipolito, in charge of Phenix Portugal, quoted in the balance sheet.
According to him, in the first half of this year, the company recorded an 8% increase in donations and a 15% increase in basket sales in the app.
The app, which allows people to buy surplus goods in good condition for consumption at lower prices, registered another eight thousand baskets in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
In total, 51,300 baskets were purchased in semester 1, while 43,870 baskets were purchased at more affordable prices in semester 1 2023.
Carlos Hipolito said that while the company believes the support it can provide is broader and more comprehensive, data shows that “there are still many families and social solidarity institutions” in need of support.
The company is a partner of more than 3,000 beneficiary associations and benefits from the support of several companies that make donations that are then distributed by the associations and reach the families.
In addition to connecting the market and institutions, Phenix has an app to combat waste (surplus bins) and trains professionals in stores, distribution and industry to manage surplus more effectively.
The startup has been in Portugal since 2016. It was created in France in 2014 and aims to combat waste, food or otherwise. It is also present in Spain, in addition to Portugal and France.
Statistics show that each Portuguese person throws away 184 kilograms of food per year, making Portugal the fourth country in the European Union that throws away the most food.
A third of the food produced is wasted worldwide.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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