Central Co-op has prevented more than 8,800 tonnes of food waste over the past three years after rolling out an AI-powered system across its store estate.
The UK’s largest independent retail co-operative said the move has helped save nearly 21 million meals, divert more than 32 million food items from landfill, and avoid around 23,700 tonnes of CO₂e emissions.
The achievements follow Central Co-op’s partnership with Retail Insight, which began in 2021 as part of the society’s wider sustainability and net zero strategy. The retailer operates over 500 stores across 23 counties and has placed community and environmental responsibility at the core of its operations.
Retail Insight’s WasteInsight platform uses artificial intelligence and data analytics to manage the full food waste lifecycle – from accurate forecasting and expiry management to real-time markdowns and donation opportunities.
By using dynamic and prompted markdown tools, store teams can now react to expiry data and stock levels in real time, ensuring more food reaches customers at reduced prices rather than ending up as waste.
“Reducing food waste is a key part of our journey to net zero and reflects our wider commitment to sustainability, fairness and supporting the communities we serve,” Ben Grove, Senior Operational Excellence Manager at Central Co-op, said.
“Partnering with Retail Insight has enabled us to make a real difference – cutting carbon, keeping good food in circulation and offering better value to our members and customers.”
Since adopting the AI system, Central Co-op has also reported improvements in in-store efficiency and product sell-through rates. The society plans to work closely with Retail Insight to further improve stock accuracy, labour efficiency and sales performance in the coming years.
According to WRAP, UK grocery retailers generate around 270,000 tonnes of food waste annually.