Can you imagine this power: filling a shopping bag for only four euros? In an era of rising prices and inflation, such a scenario might seem like a fantasy. Yet in Spain, for five years running, it has become a tangible reality. Too Good To Go is the platform making this possible, giving a second life to food that would otherwise be discarded.
Born in Denmark in 2015, when a circle of friends noticed how much food was wasted at a buffet, the company’s mission became clear: fighting food waste together. The idea grew from a simple observation—lots of perfectly good food ends up in the trash—and transformed into Too Good To Go, a name that captures the urgency of turning good food into something more meaningful than waste.
It stands as the largest app dedicated to reducing food waste. It connects two sides of the supply chain: restaurants, shops, and supermarkets that have unsold food with consumers who can purchase these items at vastly reduced prices, effectively replenishing fridges with affordable, nutritious options.
Eat for 2 or 5 euros
The app is free to download for iOS and Android. When users open it, they immediately see nearby participating businesses and the deals they offer. Preferred Surprise Food Packages range from 2 to 5 euros. Contents are intentionally a mystery, dictated by daily surplus. After selecting a package, the user pays in the app and simply picks it up at the designated time.
In countries across Europe, including the United Kingdom and France, Too Good To Go has already demonstrated impact. Spain joined in 2018 with a bold objective: reshape the Spanish relationship with food. “It was a very innovative idea; there was little conversation about food waste at the time,” recalls Carlos García, the company’s head of communications.
Like any startup, the Spain launch faced hurdles. Growth happened gradually until institutions were added, after which the process accelerated. Now, five years later, the footprint covers the entire country. The company reports more than 6 million users and 18,000 partner organizations across Spain, underscoring substantial scale and momentum.
Too Good To Go’s expansion is propelled by alliances with major brands such as Carrefour, VIPS, Aldi, Starbucks, SPAR, Morrisons, Costa, Casino Group, M&B, and PAUL Group, among others. These partnerships expand the community’s reach and offer brands a chance to highlight their environmental commitments while driving visibility for their products and stores.
Spain’s entry into Too Good To Go marked a turning point. Data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization shows that millions of tons of edible food are discarded annually. In Spain, food waste has long been a major economic and environmental challenge. In the last five years, Too Good To Go has helped prevent about 16,000 tonnes of edible food from being wasted and has contributed to saving tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Food waste also accounts for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions. Each saved package or meal not wasted makes a difference because it saves money and protects the planet, notes García.
Beyond its practical impact, the company has actively raised awareness about food waste. A notable initiative is Look, Smell, Try, which encourages brands to stamp expiration dates on packaging and reminds consumers to rely on senses to judge product safety once a date passes, rather than discarding items prematurely. This campaign has involved more than 41 major brands and appears on over 1,200 product references, helping reduce consumer confusion about dating labels.
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