Smart App, Less Waste: SPAR’s Digital Move Toward Sustainability
Spar is the world’s largest supermarket chain, with over 12,000 stores in more than 40 countries. In Norway, the SPAR brand is managed and operated by Kjøpmannshuset Norge AS, the largest banner group within NorgesGruppen. Together with Forte, SPAR has developed a new feature in the SPAR app that gives customers easy access to information about discounted products. The goal is to reduce food waste.
Utfordring
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals commit the grocery industry—including NorgesGruppen—to halving per capita food waste and reducing waste throughout the value chain by 2030.
Globally, one-third of all food is thrown away each year. In Norway, this amounts to over 450,000 tons of edible food—equivalent to 84.7 kg per person.
In 2023, Norway’s Food Waste Committee presented concrete proposals, emphasizing the urgency of implementing measures to reach the targets on time.
Spar has therefore set an ambitious goal: a 70% reduction in food waste by 2025.
In partnership with Forte, SPAR is exploring how new technology and smart data use can contribute to reduced food waste, improved customer experiences, and increased profitability.
Løsning
Forte and Spar have developed a new feature in the SPAR app that allows customers to find discounted products near their expiry date in their local stores.
The feature builds on Spar’s “leftover love” project, which focused on exploring new ways to price and display products in stores. Now, this information is available in the app—with an overview of discounted items, sorted by store and product category.
Effective Waste Reduction in SPAR, 2024
Through better handling of short-shelf-life products, Spar reduced food waste by 5% in value—equivalent to NOK 10 million—compared to 2023.
Strong Growth in Sales of Discounted Items
In 2024, Spar sold a total of 6.2 million discounted items.
Reduced Cost of Discounted Goods
Losses from discounting were reduced by NOK 5 million from the previous year, thanks to more efficient product flow and better management of the discounted range.
Better Timing and Visibility Delivered Results
Products sold more quickly after being discounted, contributing to lower markdown rates and reduced losses—greatly supported by increased visibility in-store and in the app.
Results
1 million sessions in 2024 and counting
375,000 total users
45% of users return to the feature
One of the biggest challenges we face as a society is food waste. This issue affects not only consumers but also retailers. Towards 2025, SPAR has set ambitious goals to reduce food waste by as much as 70 percent. One of the key initiatives to achieve this target is the implementation of a new feature in the SPAR app.
Martin Munte-Kaas
CMO Spar
