According to a new report published by Introspective Market Research, titled, “Food Waste App Market by Business Model, End-User, and Platform,” The Global Food Waste App Market Size Was Valued at USD 1.2 Billion in 2024 and is Projected to Reach USD 6.62 Billion by 2035, Growing at a CAGR of 16.8% From 2025–2035.
The Food Waste App market consists of digital platforms and mobile applications specifically designed to connect consumers, retailers, and food businesses to prevent, redistribute, and manage surplus food. These apps offer a transformative solution to the global food waste crisis by leveraging technology to create efficient, transparent, and convenient marketplaces. Their key advantage over traditional, ad-hoc methods of food disposal or donation is their ability to dynamically match surplus food with demand in real-time, unlocking economic value from otherwise wasted resources and providing access to affordable food for consumers.
The foremost growth driver for the food waste app market is the powerful convergence of intensifying global regulatory pressure and strong consumer demand for sustainable, value-driven consumption. Governments worldwide are enacting stringent laws to combat food waste, such as France's ban on supermarkets discarding edible food and similar mandates in the EU and parts of Asia. These regulations compel businesses to seek compliant, efficient solutions. Simultaneously, a growing segment of consumers, particularly younger demographics, actively seeks ways to reduce their environmental footprint and save money. Food waste apps perfectly address both pressures, offering businesses a tool to comply with regulations, recover revenue, and enhance brand reputation, while providing consumers with an easy, impactful way to act on their values and access quality food at lower prices.
A significant market opportunity lies in the expansion into the B2B segment and the integration of advanced data analytics and AI. While B2C apps for end-consumers are well-established, the larger volume of waste often occurs earlier in the supply chain between producers, distributors, and retailers. Developing sophisticated B2B platforms that handle bulk quantities, manage complex logistics, and ensure food safety compliance represents a major growth frontier. Furthermore, integrating AI and predictive analytics can help businesses forecast demand more accurately to prevent surplus at the source, optimize dynamic pricing for surplus items, and provide actionable insights into waste patterns. Companies that evolve from simple transactional apps into comprehensive supply chain intelligence partners will capture the most value in this rapidly maturing market.
Food Waste App Market, Segmentation
The Food Waste App Market is segmented on the basis of Business Model, End-User, and Platform.
Business Model
The Business Model segment is further classified into B2C (Business-to-Consumer), B2B, and C2C. Among these, the B2C sub-segment accounted for the highest market share in 2024. B2C apps, which connect businesses like supermarkets and restaurants directly with consumers, dominate due to their proven, scalable model and clear value proposition. Platforms like Too Good To Go and Olio's commercial partnerships allow users to purchase "surprise bags" of surplus food at deep discounts. This model generates immediate revenue for businesses, offers tangible savings for users, and has achieved rapid viral growth through social sharing, making it the most visible and widely adopted segment of the market.
End-User
The End-User segment is further classified into Food Retailers, Food Service Providers, Households, and Food Banks/Charities. Among these, the Food Retailers sub-segment (supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores) accounted for the highest market share in 2024. Food retailers are the primary partners for these apps because they operate on thin margins and face daily, predictable patterns of surplus especially with perishable baked goods, prepared meals, and produce. Partnering with a food waste app allows them to recover a portion of the cost on items that would otherwise be a total loss, improve sustainability metrics, and attract a new, value-conscious customer demographic directly to their stores for pickup, driving incremental foot traffic.
Some of The Leading/Active Market Players Are-
• Too Good To Go (Denmark)
• Olio (UK)
• Karma (Sweden)
• Flashfood (Canada)
• Wonky Veg Boxes (UK)
• NoWaste (Norway/US)
• Food Rescue US (US)
• ShareWaste (Australia)
• FeedBack (UK)
• and other active players.
Key Industry Developments
In February 2025, Too Good To Go announced its expansion into the B2B wholesale sector with a new platform called "Too Good To Go Pro." This service aims to connect food manufacturers and distributors with businesses like cafeterias and smaller retailers to redistribute large volumes of surplus stock that are unsuitable for the consumer-facing app, tackling waste earlier in the supply chain.
In March 2024, Flashfood partnered with a major North American grocery chain to integrate its app directly into the retailer's loyalty and digital coupon ecosystem. This deep integration allows users to browse and reserve surplus items alongside their regular digital shopping, making food waste reduction a seamless part of the grocery planning process and significantly boosting user adoption and transaction frequency.
Key Findings of the Study
• The B2C business model and Food Retailer end-user segment are the market share leaders.
• Europe is the leading regional market, driven by early regulatory action and high consumer awareness.
• Growth is fueled by stringent anti-waste regulations and strong consumer demand for sustainable, affordable options.
• Key trends include expansion into the B2B supply chain and the use of AI for demand forecasting and waste analytics.
