Helping curb food waste and saving money are two things you probably care about, but maybe didn’t think you could tackle together. Hold that thought.
In an exciting move for the environment (and your bank account), Foodland Supermarkets has just become the first South Australian retailer to partner with innovative app Gander, a platform that shows real-time markdowns on food nearing its best-before date, but still safe to consume.
How Gander works is simple. The moment an item is marked down in-store, it pops up on the app, and once it’s gone, it disappears. You can find products from every department and filter on the app, from fresh produce to pantry items and even health and beauty items. Hunting through aisles or missing the last discounted steak are no more.
More than ten stores across SA are already on board, including Happy Valley, Norwood, Henley Square, Saints, Mount Barker and Sefton Plaza, with more expected to join in the coming months.
For Foodland CEO Franklin dos Santos, the move adds another layer of value for price-conscious shoppers and makes it people to access the discounts.
“While we already offer specials year-round, Gander makes it simple for customers to see exactly which items are heavily discounted in real time,” he says.
“It’s about making significant savings, without compromising on quality.”
The savings are impressive. You could open the app to find Scotch Fillet discounted by 30%, with ten left on the shelf, or a 20% markdown across all dairy and fresh produce, helping you plan your dinner before you’re at the supermarket.
There’s a huge sustainability part at play too. According to Gander Australia CEO Tim Brown, less than half of all marked-down food usually sells before expiry.
“Gander flips that by making markdowns visible, timely and accessible,” he says. “It helps reduce waste while giving customers access to quality food at lower prices.”
Gander has already helped shoppers across the globe. First launching in the UK in 2019 – Australia in 2024 – the app has partnered with over 500 stores, reportedly saving 25 million food items from becoming waste. And with the Australian retail sector contributing to approximately 286,000 tonnes of food waste in landfill annually, this initiative is necessary now more than ever.
For Foodland, this is another step in its ongoing commitment to the community. They’re proudly South Australian, independently owned, and locally driven, and Gander helps everyone, from shoppers to retailers, all the way down the line to producers.
“We’re proud to partner with Foodland Supermarkets to bring Gander to South Australia,” shares Brown.
“Being able to grab a bargain and rescue this food from waste simultaneously is something that we hope that all South Australians can embrace for their daily or weekly shops.”
Now it’s our turn, Adelaide. Officially launching today, Gander is a small change that can make a big difference – for your wallet, your dinner plans, and for the planet, especially as we count our pennies in the lead up to the festive season.
“A simple tool with powerful benefits for both households and the planet.”
The Gander app is free to download on iOS and Android, to download click here.
What: Gander launches at select Foodland supermarkets
When: From Monday October 13
For the link to the app and more info, click here.
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