Every Italian in 2024 could end up wasting nearly 81 grams of food a day, or more than a pound a week, according to data collected by the Waste Watcher Observatory Report. For a total value, putting all of us together, of more than 13 billion euros, which is equivalent to almost one point of GDP and, more importantly, costs about 290 euros annually per family, about 126 euros per capita each year. Of all this waste, then, more than 310 thousand tons of food, equivalent to nearly 4 billion euros in economic value, is lost throughout the distribution chain. Technological tools of awareness and respect such as iThanks(www.ithanks.net/) are also needed to counter this phenomenon.
Reduce food loss with a digital application
Indeed, food waste can only be addressed with the help of everyone through a mix of virtuous behaviors that can involve citizens, institutions and the business world, as well as school education as well as information at all levels. Not least because responsible consumption and efficient resource management are increasingly becoming decisive agents within a global context, precisely where proposals and solutions stemming from the world of technology go on to have a clear impact. And it is on these records that iThanks, the digital application designed to combat food waste, operates, offering a technological solution that can improve deadline management and analyze data efficiently with the very function of reducing food loss.
From startup to app, an eye on expiration to fully value foods
Born in 2019 from an idea of Marco Cartolano and Andrea Gasco, iThanks has been able over the years to leverage its direct experience on issues related to food life management in large retailers. And it has done so by developing a solution that operates on products nearing expiration, improving business performance while contributing to environmental, economic and social sustainability. The digital application works by automating the processes of controlling the expiration dates of food products on the shelf, facilitating their daily management and reducing the time it takes to monitor them on the path to safely maintaining their quality and organoleptic properties. Theapp is currently in use in a number of large retailoutlets and functions as a true digital assistant capable of making immediately available all the information needed to monitor the path of each product on sale, including its possible stock. Thus constituting a clear advantage in terms of full utilization of food commodities and the replenishment process.
From food to every product with an expiration date
The iThanks app can actually operate not only in the food business but in all businesses that offer products with an expiration date, starting with pharmacies, for example. Partly because of this versatility, the project has gained support over time from the Turin Chamber of Commerce and the social enterprise accelerator Torino Social Impact, as well as garnering numerous awards such as, most recently, recognition in the Circular Economy category of Living Waste Zero, the small “Oscars” for sustainability promoted by Last Minute Market’s Waste Zero campaign. Applications such as iThanks demonstrate how technological innovation can contribute significantly to food sustainability by directly addressing the problem of food waste. Through automation of deadline management and efficient data analysis, this solution improves food storage practices, optimizing resources and reducing waste. It also helps promote a more sustainable and responsible approach in the food supply chain, highlighting theimportance of technology as a tool for a more sustainable food future.
