The problem of food sharing in Russian: how to give the delay to the needy and not humiliate

Ekaterina Maksimova

"Moods characteristic of a crisis period are fixed in society: 65% of Russians, noting the deterioration of their financial situation, attribute this primarily to external circumstances. Basic needs are at risk: 78% of the country's residents talk about an increase in income for food, 86% believe that in the near future it will be more difficult to feed a family", - the study of the Platforma Center says.

The majority of respondents (86%) noted that they are trying to save on food, of which 21% of citizens have switched to the "grocery" economy over the past six months. “The general feeling of uncertainty articulated during focus groups is superimposed on dissatisfaction with the need to limit oneself. If for some this is associated with dissatisfaction due to deviation from the usual way of life, then for socially vulnerable groups of the population it becomes a matter of survival”, - the data show. survey.

The authors of the study asked respondents about their attitude to food sharing - the free distribution of products with an expiring shelf life. And the Russians, which is predictable, have an ambiguous attitude towards a new phenomenon for Russia.

In general, 90% of respondents are against the fact that products with an expiring shelf life are sent to a garbage container (in Russia, more than 17 million tons of food are disposed of annually, of which 71% is household waste and 29% falls on retail and catering). But the very concept of food sharing, as well as the process of transferring a future delay, raises questions among the population.

What is "food cards" for the needy, the population understands. And another anglicism that has come into use is more often associated among Russians with "car sharing", "food for hire" or a charitable exchange of products on social networks. In the language practice of potential recipients of products, the newfangled word is not at all common.

The main “but” is ethical in nature: how exactly, to whom and in what format will the products be transferred? Here's what the main fears look like.

Products: products have expired expiration dates, incorrect expiration dates (error or intent). Transfer mechanism: the products will finally deteriorate during the transfer process, they will present as a gift something that should already be discarded. Recipients' fears: they will receive something already unusable, they will be humiliated by the very fact of receiving a delay.

At the same time, the fursharing format itself, according to the authors of the study, does not cause sharp criticism and skepticism. "The main argument of support is the value of food. It is important that potential beneficiaries (low-income groups) are less critical - a pragmatic approach to assessing the format dominates", - the report says. In general, the opinion that "throwing away food is a sin" has become dominant.

Most of the respondents suggest: displaying a potential delay on a separate shelf, where everyone could take it for free; targeted to those who do not have enough money; sell at a big discount; distribute to the homeless.

The main thing is that it does not look like a distribution at the dumpster in the format "God is on you, what is worthless to us". "In the view of society, food sharing is more likely a social cooperation or partnership - an equidirectional movement to cover the needs between retailers with unsold products and socially vulnerable groups in need of food," the authors of the study summarize.

The survey of the CSP "Platform" and X5 Group was conducted in late autumn in cities with a population of more than 100 thousand people. 1300 respondents were polled.