Olio

Here are quick answers to some of the questions we hear most often from Food Waste Heroes. We'll keep adding to this as new ones come up.

For Food Waste Heroes: quick answers to common questions

Information about the Food Waste Hero Programme

Food Waste Heroes

Olio asks Food Waste Heroes to accept all collections, no matter how small, so surplus food isn’t wasted.

Do I have to pick up a food collection, even if it’s small?

‘0 Listings’ messages flag possible listing issues - like wrong slot, timing, or relisting. They help track impact and improve the process.

Why am I getting '0 listings' messages in Squad Chat?

List unlabelled baked goods as “Loose bakery items” only. Please don’t name them.

How do I list unlabelled loose bakery items on Olio?

Indicate how many items are in your listing, so Olio can calculate your food‑saving impact correctly.

How should I count my collection items?

What is an “auto-confirmed” collection?

FWHs can keep 10% of collected food - no need to list it. The other 90% must go on the app to be shared fairly with the community.

How much food can I keep from my collection?

You’ll get a reminder 10 hours before your collection, confirm with a quick Yes/No so your squad knows if you can attend.

Collection reminder messages

This label shows that food has definitely been confirmed for a collection slot.

What does the “Surplus Food Confirmed” label mean?

Mostly no, as Olio aims for local collections to be done by foot, bike or public transport. Cars sometimes needed for large or distant collections.

Do I need a car to do Food Waste Hero collections?

Stores get a phone call 60 mins before a scheduled pickup to confirm surplus. Only staff confirm via keypad.

What is the reminder phone call before store collections?

How to do your collection and handle the food you pick up: where and how far to travel, whether you need a car, and collection confirmation, counting items, the 10% you can keep, and what to do with surplus you can't store or share.

At your collection: pickup, logistics and reminders

There are ongoing slots (happening regularly) and one-off slots (single helpers); you can try a one-off before committing.

What types of collection slots are there for Food Waste Heroes?

Claim or unassign a collection slot any time through the Volunteer Hub.

How to claim or unassign a collection slot

You can't share a regular slot, but if you skip or unassign from it in the Volunteer Hub, another trained Food Waste Hero can claim/cover it.

Can someone else attend my collection on my behalf, if I can’t go?

If you can’t make a collection, skip it or swap with another FWH via the Volunteer Hub

How do I skip or swap my collection slot (including one-offs)?

You can have up to 3 collections on the same day of any type (ongoing or one-off). Ensure you can store & redistribute safely.

What is the maximum amount of collections can I claim?

Collection times are set by businesses. Some may be late, but prelisting, teamwork, and prioritizing use-by items help you share successfully.

How are collection times decided for Food Waste Heroes?

Collection times may change on UK bank holidays, you’ll get a reminder, but please always double-check.

Bank holiday schedule for Food Waste Heroes

Save Me Collections let you keep some (or all) food from harder-to-fill slots; you still share via the app and follow impact-tracking rules

Save Me collections

Pilot collections test new business partners. Only FWHs with clean records can join; expect extra support and possible delays.

What are pilot collections?

Real-time collections appear same-day with food confirmed. Look for “Surplus Food Confirmed” in the Hub. Only go after claiming & confirming.

Real-time collections

If an ongoing slot is unclaimed, a message is sent to the squad and it becomes a one-off slot in the Volunteer Hub for anyone to claim.

What happens when a collection slot goes unclaimed?

Charities take priority for slots. If a charity stops collecting, the slot may return to Olio, but we're unable to reassign it to the original FWH.

What happens when a charity takes over my slot?

Everything about collection slots: the slot types, claiming, unassigning, skipping or swapping, one-offs, how slot times are decided, notifications, and special slots like Save Me, pilot and real-time collections.

 Collection slots: claiming, swapping, skipping & scheduling

Use clear photos, good titles, accurate descriptions, correct sharing categories & timely responses to improve your Olio listing success.

How to create an Olio listing in 10 steps

You can choose for your listing to go live in 5-60 mins instead of immediately, so you can finish uploading before seeing requests.

How can I schedule my Olio listing to go live later?

Use clear photos, pre-list early, offer flexible pickup times and share widely, to boost listing views and requests.

How can I get more requests for my collection listings?

Pre-listings let you post ahead of a scheduled collection, so neighbours know when you're likely to list, so they can be ready to request. Especially helpful for late evening slots!

What are pre-listings, and how do I use them on Olio?

Baskets help FWHs track who’s collecting what. Allocate quantities, update totals, and mark baskets as collected after pickup.

What are Baskets, and how do I use them?

Learn how to list, share, and manage surplus food safely and fairly as a Food Waste Hero using the Olio app.

Food Waste Hero best practices

How to list the food you collect: creating a listing, pre-listings, scheduling, listing loose or unlabelled items, using Baskets, getting more requests, and best practices for sharing well.

Creating and managing listings

What to expect from collection sizes, what to do when there's more food than you can carry, and how to handle surplus you couldn't redistribute afterwards.

What if there's more food than I can store or share?

In Singapore, no food past any visible date can be shared. Chill food properly, list expiry dates, and store at 4°C or below.

Food safety in Singapore 🇸🇬

Olio’s rules follow expert advice from its UK Primary Authority. UK FWHs don’t need to register; ROI volunteers must register first.

Food safety regulations and regulators

For no-contact pickups: ambient food must be sealed, chilled food in a cool bag (max 30 mins), and hot food must never be left out.

How can I safely do no-contact pickups as a Food Waste Hero?

FWHs must follow food safety rules. Olio’s insurance covers illness if you follow guidelines, but not injuries during volunteer activity.

Who's responsible for food safety, and what does Olio's insurance cover?

Follow strict freezing and thawing rules to safely share frozen food. Label properly, use within time limits, and never refreeze thawed items.

How do I safely handle frozen food as a Food Waste Hero?

All food must be shared via the Olio app, even with those in need. Direct giving isn’t allowed to ensure safety, traceability, and support.

Can I share food from my collection with homeless people?

Food must be kept off floors and soft surfaces to avoid contamination and pests. Even crates must be placed on a table or kitchen work surface.

Why must food be kept off the floor?

Hot food must be ≥ 63 °C, collected from approved businesses, redistributed in 1.5 h (or cooled & used within 24 h), no contact-less pickups.

How can I safely collect and share hot foods on Olio?

Always share allergen info when requested for pre-packed, non-pre-packed & loose items. Use the allergen page or reject items with no info.

Allergens guide for Food Waste Heroes

Share food safely: label allergens, handle hot/cold/frozen items properly, respect use‑by dates, and store in a clean, suitable place.

How to share food safely with Olio

Keep collections local — ideally within 2 km — and never travel more than 1.5 hours with collection food.

How far can I travel for Food Waste Hero collections?

How to handle and share food safely: allergens, hot and frozen food, no-contact pickups, keeping food off the floor, who's responsible and what Olio's insurance covers, plus food safety regulations and regional rules.

Food Safety & Handling

Food Waste Heroes collect unsold surplus food locally via app-claimed slots, with no experience or vehicle needed; pick what suits you.

What is a Food Waste Hero, and how do I get started?

Your Food Waste Hero ID is listed under your active collection slots.

Where do I find my Food Waste Hero ID?

Set time limits, take breaks, set boundaries, communicate, and remember volunteering is voluntary - your wellbeing matters.

How can I take care of myself as a Food Waste Hero?

The FWH leaderboard highlights top sharers each month. Track your impact and see rankings by volunteer and postcode in your dashboard.

Where can I see the Food Waste Hero leaderboard results?

FWH can collect from places like supermarkets, catering, travel hubs, convenience stores and TV/film sets, food types and times vary by sector.

Where can Food Waste Heroes collect surplus food from?

Newcomers can become FWHs because many do great work. Olio supports them with guidelines, training & monitoring, not just ratings.

Why does Olio let new or unrated people become Food Waste Heroes?

Olio may charge partners up to £25 for infrequent one-off collections, but most fees are much lower, often under 5% of that.

Does Olio charge businesses £25 per Food Waste Hero collection?

New to the programme? Start here. How to become a Food Waste Hero (FWH), find your FWH ID, log in to the Volunteer Hub and look after yourself while volunteering,

Getting started and the basics of the Food Waste Hero programme

User's can appeal warnings, suspensions, or bans within 1 week. Use the form provided. Reviews take 48–72 hrs.

How do I appeal a warning, suspension or ban?

Assume good intent, stay respectful, and avoid escalation. Flag clearly offensive messages. Serious issues may lead to removal from the program.

What should I do if I don't get along with another Food Waste Hero?

Follow key safety rules to avoid suspension: store food right, meet hygiene standards, and never share food past its Use By date.

Food Waste Hero food safety penalties

Olio uses warnings, suspensions, or bans when FWH rules are broken—report issues via the app, and submit appeals if needed.

What happens when Food Waste Heroes break the rules?

FWH rules on slots, skips, suspensions, sharing limits & ratings.

Food Waste Hero general policies

Olio only enforces rules that impact safety or fairness. Poor titles, no date in description, or packaged hand-held items aren’t violations.

What isn't considered rule-breaking for Food Waste Heroes?

FWHs follow stricter rules to protect safety, meet business partner standards, and because they share on Olio’s behalf under food business laws.

Why don't some food rules apply to personal listings?

If you don’t collect or don’t list items, you’ll need to respond in squad chat, otherwise your slots may be removed.

Missed collection process

Food Waste Heroes ID Verification

Simple fixes for Food Waste Heroes if ID verification fails, freezes or won't accept your document, plus how to get help.

What can I do if my ID verification isn't working?

The rules every Food Waste Hero agrees to, and what happens if they're broken. General policies, food safety penalties, what does and doesn't count as rule-breaking, getting along with other volunteers, and how to appeal a warning, suspension or ban.

Rules, conducts and appeals

You’re auto-added to the Squad Chats for the store once you claim a slot.

How do Squad Chats work?

Everything Food Waste Heroes need to know about the Squad Captain role, what it involves, how to become one, how to step down, and what happens if a Captain becomes…

What is a Squad Captain, and how do I become or step down?

Description (recommended): Becoming or stepping down as a Squad Captain, what the role involves, and how Squad Chats work, your squad's group chat for Food Waste Heroes.

Squad Chats & Squad Captains

Reasons you might not see any collection slots near you, or can't claim one you can see, and what to do about each.

Why can't I find or claim a collection slot?

Assigned slots appear 10 hours pre-start and stay visible until 24 hrs after. If you’re assigned and still can’t see it, please report it.

Why isn't my assigned slot showing when I list food?

Don’t worry, if Olio’s Little Helper cancels your slot, it isn’t your fault.

Why has my collection slot been cancelled?

If there’s an issue with your collection, such as no food, wrong time, or staff confusion, please report it via the Volunteer Hub and inform your squad.

What should I do if there’s a problem with my collection?

Having trouble? Fixes for when you can't find or claim a collection slot, your assigned slot isn't showing, a slot has been cancelled, you've missed a collection, or something's gone wrong at the store.

Troubleshooting: when something goes wrong							

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