Tesco works with charity to save pumpkins from going to waste this Halloween

Spare a thought for your terrified little pumpkin
Spare a thought for your terrified little pumpkin

Retailer Tesco has announced a working partnership with environmental charity Hubbub to save pumpkins from going to waste this Halloween.

The people of north London are being asked to go on a rescue mission, to salvage the little orange squashes from their otherwise grisly doom, and save unnecessary food waste.

With as many as 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins being thrown away each year after Halloween, one supermarket has decided to set up pumpkin rescue stations across 10 of its north London stores, in order to help customers provide the little festive stalwarts with a brighter, more productive future.

The ‘rescued’ pumpkins will be recycled via a process called anaerobic digestion
The ‘rescued’ pumpkins will be recycled via a process called anaerobic digestion

From 31 October, pumpkin rescue stations are being set up outside the entrances of ten Tesco stores, as the supermarket plans to help customers recycle their food waste, and avoid their pumpkins going to landfill.

The ‘rescued’ pumpkins will be recycled via a process called anaerobic digestion, which will dispose of and convert the little orange squashes into energy in an environmentally friendly way.

The stations have been set up in partnership with environmental issues charity Hubbub and the North London Waste Authority, who recently revealed that 42 per cent of the UK population buy a pumpkin at Halloween but as many as 25 per cent of those purchased are being thrown in the bin without being recycled.

Spare a thought for the pumpkins

Commenting on the news, Jez Butwell, store director for Tesco in North London, said: “I’m delighted that we’re sparing a thought for pumpkins this Halloween, helping our customers in North London to convert leftovers into energy and once again demonstrating Tesco’s commitment to reducing food waste.

“The soup being cooked for customers to try is also really tasty, providing a great alternative to throwing pumpkins away and a nice, healthy little warmer as the nights start to get cold.”

It’s the latest move by Tesco to reduce food waste, with the retailer having already rolled out its food surplus redistribution scheme, Community Food Connection, to over 800 stores across the UK, and pledging to be in all Tesco stores by the end of 2017.

Community Food Connection, is run in partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare has already donated over a 1.5 million meals worth of surplus food from Tesco stores to people in need. Over 3,000 charities and community groups are already signed up.