Retailers jump to defend ‘bogofs’

The retail industry has defended its use of buy-one-get-one-free (bogof) promotions, following calls from Labour peer Lord Prescott to rethink the strategy because of the increase in food waste they create.
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Prescott – once dubbed ‘Two Jags’ for having one car for himself and one for his wife – said: “According to the Government’s Waste & Resources Action Programme, the average UK family wastes nearly £700 a year by throwing out unused food and drink from supermarkets. A lot of this is caused by so-called bogof offers.
“So let’s change it to buy one, give one to a food bank. Supermarkets should offer to give away the second purchase to their local food bank. I think it’s a great way to show their corporate responsibility and build loyalty to their store.”
In reaction to the call Asda – which stopped using bogofs in 2009 – has already said it will send surplus chilled food to FareShare, the food redistribution charity. It is claimed this will provide enough food for an extra 3.6 million meals and represent a 41% increase in the amount of chilled food sent to the charity.
But the British Retail Consortium claims such promotions help keep prices down and already take the pressure off low income families.
BRC food director Andrew Opie said: “The evidence shows that the link between promotions and food waste is actually very small. The main method of promotions is cutting the price rather than Bogof offers, which are rare for fresh products but one of a range of choices offering value to customers.
“A range of measures including improved storage advice and providing customers with advice on portion sizes and using leftovers have all been successful in helping reduce domestic food waste by 670,000 tonnes across the UK between 2005 and 2009.
“While food waste and food poverty are separate issues, where money is simply not available retailers are working with charities, manufacturers and redistribution organisations across the UK to ensure that what usable excess stock there is goes to people who need it.”