World's first food waste supermarket so popular it has to open second branch after 9 months

Every year more than 700,000 tonnes of food are wasted in Denmark

(WeFood/Facebook)

The charity behind the world's first food waste supermarket in Denmark said the project has proved to be so popular that a second store has been opened.

Wefood, which sell produce at prices 30 to 50 per cent lower than they would normally cost, has enjoyed such tremendous popularity in Copenhagen that it has established a second location, this time in a trendy neighbourhood called Nørrebro, opening its doors in November.

Selling expired food is legal in Denmark as long as it is clearly advertised and there is no immediate danger to consuming it.

The project draws long line of both eco-conscious shoppers and individuals with limited budgets that shop on each day’s available products.

Per Bjerre from the NGO behind the market, Folkekirkens Nødhjælp, previously said: "WeFood is the first supermarket of its kind in Denmark and perhaps the world as it is not just aimed at low-income shoppers but anyone who is concerned about the amount of food waste produced in this country.

"Many people see this as a positive and politically correct way to approach the issue."

The products are donated by a range of suppliers.

Føtex, one of the biggest supermarket chains in Demark, is Wefood’s supplier for bread and other products. The surplus store also has agreements with importers of citrus fruits, butchers, and a producer of organic fruit and nut bars.

(WeFood/Facebook)

All available products dependent on the generosity from donors.

One weekday afternoon, customers were greeted by a mountain of Disney and Star Wars-branded popcorn, but the fresh fruit section had been reduced to a handful of rotting apples.

The supermarket is part of a Government initiative to reduce food waste in Denmark.

It came about after the Danish Minister of Agriculture and Food met with the general secretary of charity Folkekirkens Nødhjælp and the head of corporate responsibility at a major supermarket in the country.

“We think it is a new way of thinking about the problem of food waste,” a spokeswoman said.

Every year more than 700,000 tonnes of food are wasted in Denmark. After being open just six months, WeFood has received over 40 tonnes of food that would have otherwise been destroyed.

Food waste has become an increasingly hot topic in recent years, with several initiative launching across Europe.

Earlier this year, France has passed a law banning supermarkets from throwing away or spoiling unsold food.

Meanwhile, the UK’s first food waste supermarket has opened in Pudsey, near Leeds in September.

According to an investigation by the Evening Standard, supermarkets are throwing away £230m of edible food across the country.