FAQ
1. How can I use Ostras?
It’s easy! Download the app in your iOS or Android store and create an account with your email address.
2. Do I need to register to participate?
Yes, you need to create an account and register in the app to be able to participate in the activities and collect points or rewards.
3. Is there a cost to participate in Ostras?
No, participating in Ostras is completely free. You can win rewards by simply rescuing food that has an expiry date of 5 days or less. Take the opportunity to contribute to reducing food waste while earning rewards for your actions.
4. What are the benefits of using Ostras?
Specifically, you earn points for rescuing food that’s close to its expiration date, and these points can be redeemed for rewards directly in the app.
5. Where can I benefit from Ostras rewards?
In this pilot phase, our service and related rewards are limited to Madrid only. If you would like to make Ostras available in your city, we would love to hear from you! Write to us at info@ostrasdescuentos.com and tell us where you would like us to be.
6. Can I invite my friends and earn more points?
Invite your friends from the Home page, Ostras, in the app and both you and your friend will earn 10 points – you can invite as many friends as you like! As soon as your friend uploads their first ticket with the rescued products, both of you will receive 10 points on your Ostras accounts. Enjoy and share!
7. How to earn rewards when buying products with an expiry date of 5 days or less?
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- Go to a supermarket in Madrid and buy products which have an expiration date of 5 days or less.
- Open the Ostras app.
- Within 24 hours of purchase, click on the button with the camera.
- Take a clear photo of the receipt showing the products bougth, the date, and the supermarket. If the photo is clear, click ‘Upload photo’.
- Select how many products you have rescued from each category, using ‘-’ or ‘+’. The total of the rescued products can be found on the bottom of the screen. If you are unclear about the category your bougth product(s) belong to, you can choose the category “Other”.
- Take a clear photo of each rescued product where the expiry date is clearly visible.
- Confirm that you have taken a photo of each product you have selected in the categories section, and click ‘Create Ticket’.
- You will receive confirmation that your request has been successfully processed. Once validated, you will receive your reward in the app.
8. When should I submit my supermarket tickets?
You have 24 hours from the time of purchase to upload your ticket in the Ostras app. It is crucial that the date and time of purchase are clearly visible on the photo you capture. Make sure the image is clear to facilitate the verification process. We recommend that you send the receipt as soon as you have made the purchase.
9. What kind of receipts can I upload?
You can upload receipts from any physical supermarket in Madrid, Spain, for products you bougth that had an expiration date of 5 days or less. Ensure the receipt is legible, with the purchase date and saved products clearly visible.
10. How long does it take to validate my receipt?
Once your receipt is uploaded, the validation process can take up to 48 hours. You will receive a notification when your receipt has been approved and the rewarded Ostras Points will be automatically credited to your account.
11. Can I upload more than one receipt per day?
Yes, you can upload multiple receipts, but each receipt must be for a different purchase. However, please make sure that you have purchased products with an expiry date of less than 5 days on this purchase.
12. Can I share my supermarket tickets with other Ostras users?
Each ticket can only be used once! If the same receipt is submitted by several users, only the first user who submitted it will receive the related Ostras Points.
13. What happens if my receipt is rejected?
If your receipt is rejected, you can view the reason by clicking on that entry in Ostras. For any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us.
14. Can I earn rewards for products that do not expire in less than 5 days?
No, rewards only apply to products with an expiry date of less than 5 days. Be sure to check expiry dates before submitting a reward request in the app.
15. How do I receive the rewards?
Once the receipt and photo are validated, the rewards will be credited directly to your Ostras account in the form of Ostras points. You can convert your Ostras points into discounts depending on the rewards available. You can see the available rewards on the page “Awards” in the application.
16. How are Ostras points calculated?
Points are allocated based on the number of days remaining until a product expires. The points system is detailed below:
17. How do I redeem my Ostras points for Rewards?
To redeem your points, go to the Awards section in the Ostras app, where you can see all available rewards along with the amount of points needed to unlock them. If you have enough points (you can see your points total at the top of the awards page), select the reward you want.
Before redeeming, be sure to read and accept the terms and conditions of the prize. Once accepted, click ‘Redeem’, and the app will generate a unique QR code that you can use to obtain your reward. Please note that this QR code is only valid once and will become invalid after the first scan.
18. Why do I see a different total of points on the Ostras page?
The points total shown at the top of the Ostras screen is the amount of points available that you can redeem for awards.
On the other hand, the points total you see at the bottom reflects the total amount of points you have accumulated using Ostras since you started participating.
19. Why do I see €0 on the ‘Ostras’ screen in the app?
In this pilot version of Ostras, we are not yet able to offer you cashback as compensation for doing the right thing. However, by helping us grow by rescuing food and recommending Ostras to your friends, you will be contributing to our ability to implement cash rewards in the future! We are working to offer you this option as soon as possible.
20.Why do you see ‘donate to an NGO’ within the rewards screen?
Our goal is to include local NGOs in Ostras. If you are interested in seeing this possibility in our app, please let us know by clicking on the I want to donate! button.
We will compile the information and share it with potential partners and investors to show the impact that, together with you, we could make.
21. About our recommendation to ‘look, smell, taste’ before throwing food away. Why do we recommend it?
At Ostras, we facilitate and incentivize consumers to rescue supermarket products close to their ‘best before date.’ That’s why we take it upon ourselves to help consumers understand what it means.
The “best-before date” (consumo preferente) indicates the ideal quality of the food, while the “expiration date” relates to its safety. Foods past their expiration date should not be consumed. However, foods with a passed best-before date may still be safe if they look, smell, and taste as expected.
Therefore, we recommend that, before throwing food away, you do this test to check its quality: first look at it, then smell it, and if it passes both tests, taste it.
Last tip: Have you heard of the egg freshness test? Place the egg in a glass of water and watch how it positions itself.
