Few grocery store employees allowed to take home leftover food in Finland

In Finland, few grocery store employees are allowed to take leftover food home with them. An inquiry by Yle to three major retail chains revealed that only some K-Group stores permit staff to take surplus food. According to the union, the average salary for employees is €2,054 per month before taxes, with many working part-time. Rising living costs in Finland make the ability to access leftover food a significant benefit.

At K-stores, the decision on food waste distribution is left to individual store owners. For instance, Harri Niskanen, who operates four K-Markets in Tampere and Ylöjärvi, reported that food waste accounts for about 1-3% of his sales, equating to over €200,000 annually. He prefers to manage this cost differently. Niskanen noted that while most waste is effectively redistributed through the ResQ app, giving excess food to staff presents fairness challenges, as some shifts see higher waste levels.

The S Group and Lidl Finland have strict policies against employees consuming or taking home leftover food. SOK’s Tapio Syrén explained the guiding principles include product safety and preventing misuse. Lidl has established protocols for unsold food, donating it to food banks and using leftovers in energy production, thus prohibiting staff distribution.

Niskanen aims to minimize waste through sales forecasts and sees leftover food from his stores going to charities and a local cat shelter. Overall, the issue of food waste and its management continues to provoke discussion and controversy across Finland’s retail landscape.