Food surplus donations provide social value and reduce emissions in Romania
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PENNY România donated 8,479 tonnes of food through the Federația Băncilor pentru Alimente din România (FBAR) network between 2024 and 2025.
This initiative redirects surplus food that is still fit for consumption but cannot be sold to people in need. The company contributed an estimated 18.5 million euros to the program. Analysis of the Social Return on Investment shows that these donations generated over 473 million euros in social value.
This equates to more than 11 euros of social benefit for every euro invested. The program serves adults, seniors, and children, while also supporting partner non-governmental organizations and volunteers. In 2025 alone, 570 non-governmental organizations within the FBAR network helped redistribute the food. Each recipient received an average of 27.7 kg of food. Partner organizations report that these donations reduce uncertainty regarding food access and allow families to spend money on other necessities like medicine or utilities.
The redistribution effort also produced environmental benefits by preventing food from becoming waste. The initiative avoided approximately 4,346 tonnes of CO2 equivalents. This calculation includes the emissions from transport, storage, and logistics. PENNY România has collaborated with FBAR since 2019 and became a strategic partner in 2022.
