Spesa Sospesa: An Italian Initiative Against Poverty and Food Waste

Supported by the Lab00 Foundation, which works to promote social solidarity, the Spesa Sospesa project is based on collecting donations, reusing waste, and recovering surplus essential goods. Through citizens’ contributions, funds are raised to purchase unsold food products from businesses. These products are then redistributed through a network of partner associations and NGOs, ensuring their delivery to families in vulnerable situations.

The goal of the Lab00 Foundation and the Spesa Sospesa project is to support people facing economic hardship in times of crisis. This initiative contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals, including No. 1 (No Poverty), No. 2 (Zero Hunger), and No. 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

In Italy, the need is particularly urgent: in 2019, 6.4% of the population lived in absolute poverty. Furthermore, the country faces a significant societal paradox: massive food waste estimated at €15 billion per year, while 13.4 million people struggle to access sufficient food. On a global scale, one-third of all food production is wasted.

The Covid-19 pandemic worsened this situation in 2020, affecting not only families already in difficulty but also new households severely impacted by the economic crisis and facing challenges in accessing essential goods.

Spesa Sospesa addresses these issues by redirecting food products to those most in need while combating food waste, which also has a concerning environmental impact.

The solution is based on the principle of “suspended spending,” inspired by the tradition of the “suspended coffee.” In this model, individuals or organizations pay to allow people in precarious situations to benefit from purchased products. However, this system can only function effectively if it relies on complete transparency, ensuring the rigorous use of invested funds.

This transparency is ensured through the use of blockchain technology via the Regusto platform, the first portal in Italy dedicated to sustainability. Designed for businesses and non-profit organizations, Regusto facilitates the purchase, recovery, and redistribution of donated or sold products. Partner associations can reserve, purchase, and collect available products on the platform before distributing them to families in economic difficulty.

The integration of blockchain provides complete and secure traceability of transactions, from the recovery of products to their delivery. Every operation is recorded on the blockchain, ensuring total visibility for donors, beneficiaries, and Public Administrations on the social and environmental impacts of these actions. Through this system, all stakeholders can precisely track resource usage, strengthening trust and the efficiency of this solidarity initiative.

The Spesa Sospesa project has been implemented in 25 Italian municipalities, including Naples, Perugia, Alessandria, Milan, and Rome. Since its launch, over one million kilos of food and non-food products have been redistributed, providing more than three million “meal equivalents” to over 10,000 beneficiaries (including approximately 600,000 meals in 2023).

The environmental impact of this initiative is equally impressive. By preventing food waste, the project has saved over 2,000 tons of CO2 and 2.6 million cubic meters of water, including 240 tons of CO2 and 480,000 cubic meters of water in 2023 alone.

The success of Spesa Sospesa is built on a committed ecosystem of stakeholders. Over 20 partner companies provide financial support, while 400 businesses donate or sell their surplus products. These contributions are redistributed by 15 non-profit organizations operating in the 25 municipalities, with the support of hundreds of volunteers and donors.

To date, 87% of the €2.5 million fundraising goal has been achieved, thanks to the generosity of nearly 700 donors.

Building on this success, the Lab00 Foundation expanded its efforts by launching the Tempo Sospeso project in November 2021. This initiative enables individuals in precarious situations to access care services, demonstrating the foundation’s commitment to addressing essential needs while enhancing the social and environmental impact of its actions.