The Food Sharing Hub is Scotland’s first rescued food shop and exists to save surplus food from supermarkets from an unnecessary fate in the bin.

Simply come along to the Food Sharing Hub and sign up as a member of SHRUB Coop for as little as £1 a month. As a member you can fill one basket of food per day and pay as you feel.

How it works

The Food Sharing Hub is working with Tesco, Co-op and Waitrose to collect food from 6 local supermarkets. Volunteers collect perishable foods such as fruit, vegetables, and baked goods that are still fresh and good to eat, but have passed their best before dates and would otherwise be thrown out that day.

Food Sharing Edinburgh also coordinates a network of food collections from small businesses and redistribute it to charities across the city.

Our Impact

Since opening in January 2019, the Food Sharing Hub has sold 1.8 tonnes of food to customers on a pay as you feel basis.

Food Sharing Edinburgh has saved 48.9 tonnes of food in total between Dec 2017 and June 2019. Much of this is redistributed from small businesses directly to charity partners.

Each year, one-third of all food produced for human consumption worldwide goes to waste. This is approximately 1.3 billion tonnes. (FAO, 2019)

In central Edinburgh, 27.1 tonnes of food goes to waste every week - that’s the equivalent of roughly 54,000 meals unnecessarily thrown in the bin. (Zero Waste Edinburgh, 2017)

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a member to use the Food Sharing Hub?

No

Is Zero Waste Hub accessible?

The Zero Waste Hub is on ground floor with a small step at the entrance. A ramp is available, just ring the bell and one of our volunteers will happily assist you. All the public spaces throughout the building are step free and there is an accessible toilet with hand rails.

There are disabled parking bays on both parallel streets, East Fountainbridge and Grindlay Street.

All our toilets are gender neutral.

If you have further questions regarding accessibility, please contact the Zero Waste Hub on 0131 281 0583.

Is there nearby bicycle parking?

There is space to lock up your bike on the corner of Lothian Road and Bread Street by Cost Cutters.

What bus routes are you on?

The Zero Waste Hub is located just off Lothian Road and Grassmarket and following bus routes will take you nearby;

Lothian Road routes: 47, 24, 10, 11, 15, 16, 36, 1, 34, 124

Grassmarket route: 2

Is there parking nearby?

There is limited on street parking on Bread Street, but two large car parks a 4 minute walk away;

Thistle Parking

Semple Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8BL

NCP Car Park Edinburgh Castle Terrace

Castle Terrace, Edinburgh, EH1 2E