SPAR toGo food bars on the way to environmental awareness

SPAR Hungary has launched a number of initiatives aimed at environmental awareness, responsible waste management and optimised energy management in its toGo food bars, during the recent years. It is good news that the volume of cooking oil used was successfully reduced and plastic-free packaging and compostable cutlery have been introduced.

“For SPAR, environmental sustainability is a strategic goal at the company level, including the lowest possible energy consumption and responsible waste management. This also applies to our SPAR toGo units. Today, we have 37 restaurants operating throughout the country, selling more than 9 million products last year, and customer feedback confirms that there is a demand for proper quality and good value dining, often combined with shopping. Our company has launched important initiatives in the recent years to ensure the sustainable operation of our toGo units, and we have further plans for the future, such as introducing plastic-free and biodegradable packaging materials and further reducing energy costs and waste,” explained Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

As Mr. Maczelka has confirmed, one of the biggest challenges for the company is the disposal of used cooking oil. The combined use of all SPAR toGo units is 9000 litres per month. Used cooking oil is a pollutant but can be recycled using modern technology, which is then transported, settled and heated to produce biodiesel fuel. SPAR has made further savings throughout the recent years by introducing a different type of cooking oil in its restaurants. The new oil is also suitable for heavy duty applications, doubling the life cycle of the oil and halving necessary amount. According to the data from March 2024, oil consumption was more than 1300 litres less than in the previous year.

90% of SPAR toGo’s product range is cooked in hot air-frier ovens, and the main use of deep fryers is for breaded meat, cheese and vegetables prepared on the spot. The company has recently reviewed its energy use and optimised the available frying capacity in the toGo units, reducing both energy and frying oil consumption.

SPAR has also achieved further savings by reviewing the capacity of the raw material refrigerators in the toGo unit food preparation areas. Restaurant utensils are cleaned using energy-saving dishwashers, allowing for optimised water use.

In terms of food waste management, the restaurants have a proven solution: they transport the waste from the stores and donate the remaining usable food to animal shelters.

In response to customer demand, SPAR has introduced paper plates, boxes and cups carrying the toGo logo in its external units, together with biodegradable, compostable cutlery. All new packaging materials are produced in Hungary, further reducing the ecological footprint of the SPAR toGo restaurants. Based on the feedback received, shoppers are very happy with the plastic-free solutions, and these are provided free of charge for on-site consumption.