To reduce food waste with smart cooling has proven to be a very effective solution. One of the best examples can be found at Östersund Hospital, where a simple idea has made a big difference.
Using smart refrigerators to sell ready meals has helped save over 5 tons of food waste. The solution was also highlighted at The SWECCA event, where the project was highlighted as an example of how technology can contribute to more sustainable food sales.
Save the Planet - a smart solution to food waste
The hospital currently has over 20 smart refrigerators deployed. One of them has been named “Save the Planet”.
This is where food that has not been sold in the other refrigerators or from today's production, but is still perfectly good to eat, is placed. Instead of being thrown away, it is sold on at a greatly reduced price.
The discount is often between 60-80 %, which means that food quickly finds new buyers.
The result is that very little food actually needs to be thrown away.
How smart cooling works to reduce food waste
In smart cold for food sales works in a simple way.
Visitors open the fridge, take what they want and pay directly by card. The system automatically records what is picked out.
It allows restaurants and kitchens to produce food in advance and still feel confident that it will be sold.
If something is not sold directly, it can be moved to Save the Planet fridge and resold at a reduced price.
Over 5 tons of food waste saved
The solution has so far saved over 5 tons of food from being thrown away.
Perhaps the most impressive thing is how little food waste is actually left today. After almost two weeks of sales, the amount of food that needs to be thrown away is minimal.
It shows how efficiently the system works when technology is combined with a committed team.
Why smart fridges work against food waste
There are several reasons why smart fridges are effective in reducing food waste.
Firstly, they make food available around the clock, which increases the chances of it being sold.
Secondly, real-time data makes it possible to plan production better.
And finally, discounted “save the food” solutions create a behavior where customers actively look for these products.
Food waste is one of the biggest challenges facing the food industry today. Much of the food produced never reaches a consumer, even though it is still perfectly edible.
Solutions such as smart refrigerators and unmanned vending systems allow food to be resold at a reduced price before it needs to be discarded.
In places like hospitals, workplaces and public spaces where people move around all day, new opportunities to reduce food waste are created.
An example for the future of food retail
The project shows how unmanned food solutions can contribute to both better service and reduced food waste.
When food is available close to where people work or travel, and when technology makes it easy to buy, the chances of each portion actually being eaten increase.
Good for both the economy and the environment.
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