Not So Bad: Online Shop With Expired Goods Opens in Spain, Portugal

A supermarket selling products that have passed their “best before” date or are soon to expire was launched for Portuguese and Spanish customers on Thursday. The online store claims that all goods are safe for consumption and sells some of them at tempting discounts up to 70%.

The initiative was proposed by the Portuguese company within the Fight Against Food Waste campaign. In addition, it aims to draw consumers' attention to the difference between the "use by" and the "best before" recommendations, the company official said.

The firm, based in Vila do Conde a city in the north of Portugal, sells products online at goodafter.com and guarantees delivery within 24 hours. The shop is directly supplied by product manufacturers, some of whom are "famous brands", Chantal de Gispert, a store manager and one of the project founders, told Lusa news agency. The supermarket has the permission of the Portuguese main veterinary department, phytosanitary body and national food safety authority. Some products sold on the website can be found at a discount up to 70%.

"We sell expired goods, goods that are no longer manufactured or ending their shelf life," Chantal de Gispert said. The main idea is to provide a new life for all the products that have no place in their standard patterns of distribution and that are likely to be thrown away, she explained.

"We have three purposes in terms of a new life for expiring products: family savings, fighting against product waste and spreading the word about products' shelf life. Wasting food is absolutely awful," she added.

The company claimed that it may open physical stores in the future. It also ensured that goods unsuitable and dangerous for use would never get on their shelves.