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In pursuit of zero waste, Carrefour supermarket turns unsold oranges and tomatoes into jam

In Spain, Carrefour has introduced a new product line to its Madrid hypermarkets to help tackle food waste: jam made from unsold fruit from its own produce aisles. The supermarket currently offers two varieties — orange and tomato — both produced by preserve and sauce maker Helios using ripe fruit that's past its due date for selling to customers but perfect for transforming into 'Marmelada Desperdicio Alimentario Zero.' The 250-gram jars retail for EUR 0.89.

These new products join other Carrefour efforts to minimize waste, such as soup stock made from leftover fish and discounts on 'ugly' vegetables.

Trend Bite

Jams and marmalades have always been a way to preserve fruit, making them a natural fit for a grocer like Carrefour seeking to rescue (over)ripe, damaged or otherwise unsellable produce. In the past — since chucking is usually cheaper than processing — supermarkets tipped unsold products into dumpsters without a second thought. But conscious consumers and persistent activists have provoked a newfound, collective sense of responsibility for food waste, and that mindset shift is paving the way for creative solutions that aren't based solely on financial calculations.

Related: Belgian organic supermarket chain sells mushrooms grown on its unsold bread

Innovation of the day

Spotted by: Pablo Riquelme