How you can bag free food using Meghan Markle’s favourite Olio and Too Good To Go apps
SHOPPERS can cut their grocery bills and even grab free food by using Meghan Markle's favourite Olio and Too Good To Go apps.
The two apps connect hungry Brits with those with leftover food that they want to give away or sell at a discount.
They come in handy as 10 million tonnes of food is thrown away each year - the weight of 190 Titanics.
This waste is estimated to be worth £17billion a year - the equivalent of £700 per family, according to Too Good To Go.
So, it's easy to see why the two apps are increasing in popularity, and even Meghan Markle is a fan.
The Duchess of Sussex said the boss of Olio is a "force for change" in the recent Vogue edition that she edited.
Luckily, there are plenty of items up for grabs so it should suit even the fussier eaters.
One shopper in the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group thanks to the Too Good To Go app.
While another user .
If she had instead ordered them on the bakery's website or simply popped by a store, the same cupcakes would have cost her £12.95.
Another shopper got .
While one savvy bargain hunter for no cost at all by using Olio.
So how do the apps work? Below we explain everything you need to know.
Olio
Olio connects you with neighbours who have surplus food, in an attempt to cut down on food waste.
The app, which launched in 2016, is free to download from or the .
In order to pick up a bargain you need to register with the app and then start searching.
Once you spot some grub that you’d like, you click on it and then request to pick it up.
You arrange collection with your neighbour directly.
It works both ways, so if you have leftovers to spare you take a picture, upload to the app and include a brief description - including the use by date - and provide pick-up details.
A lot of the items are free. However, users can choose to add a price. If they do it must be a minimum of 50 per cent off the original price.
The idea is that instead of surplus food going to waste you can offer it to your local community for free.
Too Good To Go
The Danish-born app connects users to stores, such as supermarkets, restaurants and bakeries that have unsold, surplus food.
It claims it has 12.5 million registered users, of which almost 1.2 million in the UK.
The app has partnered up with 1,887 stores across the country, so you have plenty of choice to find bargains.
Users have to pay for the food but you'll be given big discounts.
Of course, prices vary depending on what you get but you'll generally get three times the value you paid.
The idea is that shoppers get discounted food, while businesses can reduce their waste while also potentially winning new customers by letting them try their stuff.
iPhone users can download the app from , while it's available for Android users .
It's similar to food waste app , which has more than 2,000 businesses signed up.
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Supermarkets have joined the fight to help halve food waste by 2030.
In April, a food scientist said you CAN eat some foods after their sell-by dates and how to tell if the items are still fresh.
Here are also six ways you can make a difference.
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