There are still 84 Delhaize stores closed, mainly in Wallonia and Brussels. Of the 44 that have been able to reopen, 43 are in Flanders. What to do with perishable unsold items? What can be recovered is given to associations and the rest must be thrown away.
It has been more than a week that the doors of 84 stores remain closed. Every day, many products are approaching their expiration date.
It’s quite impressive
Collecting his unsold items, preventing them from ending up in the trash, is Adrien’s mission. “The Delhaize de Bouge is closed because of the strikes, so we’re going to get everything they mightn’t sell”explains Adrien Scarbotte, of the association “A tense hand”.
Entrenched in their store, it was the employees themselves who called the charity. Adrien receives 35 lockers: “It’s quite impressive. But, it suits us, it will be merchandise that we can distribute to our beneficiaries”.
Items pre-sorted by department heads. Requirement of the Afsca, the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain: unpackaged foods, such as meat, have been thrown away. Packaged and dated products are given away. “There are olives, cheese, charcuterie, sausages, yogurts, pizzas, … In fact, we find a bit of everything”explains Adrian.
Delhaize can recover VAT
Once brought back to the depot, the donations are once once more checked and sorted, in order to compose food parcels. And with the Delhaize strike, there is no shortage of work.
“Usually, we never have so much. It’s exceptional”launches Patricia De Coeyer, volunteer.
Thanks to these unsold items, hot meals are also prepared. In return, the retail chain can reclaim VAT on donated food, but that’s only a small fraction of the money it has lost since the strike began.
