The University of Parma's Bio Bag project involves the weekly packaging and distribution of bags/crates of seasonal, local and sustainable fruit and vegetables to those who sign up to the initiative. It is an initiative by ONFOODS in collaboration with Parma Sostenibile, IoMangioLocale APS and the University; it is designed for students and staff at the University but is also open to anyone else who is interested.
The aim is to promote healthy and sustainable lifestyles within the university community by encouraging the consumption of fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, grown locally and using best agroecological practices.
What is a Bio Bag
The UniPR Bio Bag contains a selection of mixed fruit and vegetables, fresh and in season, directly from farmers participating in the MercaTiAmo Parma project. All Bio Bag Unipr products are certified organic or through the PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) certification of the Parma Solidarity Economy District based on the principles of agroecology and social justice.
The Unipr Bio Bag is available in two sizes:
- approximately 2.5 kg of fruit and vegetables at a price of £12.50 (bag for approximately one person)
- approximately 5 kg of fruit and vegetables at a price of £24 (bag for approximately 2-3 people)
The first period (October-December 2025) will be a pilot phase designed to guide the developments of the project. There are plans to open a delivery point at the Science and Technology Campus in 2026, and there are also plans to expand the range of products contained in the bag based on the preferences and habits of those who join the first phase.
How to order and collect your Bio Bag
To receive the Bio Bag, you must register with the IoMangioLocale association (annual membership fee of €10, which will be charged when you purchase your first bag). Registration can be done directly on the IoMangioLocale APS website, which coordinates the logistics of the project.
After registration you will be sent your login details to order the Bio Bag online.
Every Friday, you will receive a link for booking and advance payment via Satispay, together with a description of the products available according to the season and some recipe ideas. Orders must be placed by Monday evening (midnight) for delivery on Friday of the same week. You can order as often as you like, with no obligation to continue.
The Bags will be delivered every Friday morning from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. to MercaTiAmo Pablo, in Piazzale Pablo, at the Parma Sostenibile counter.
Special discounts for students
The first 100 students to register will receive:
- a 10 euro discount on their first bag order (meaning they will not pay the membership fee)
- a 5 euro discount on their fifth bag purchase by December 2025
- another 5 euro discount on their tenth Bio Bag order by the end of January 2026.
To take advantage of this offer, simply enter your student ID number in the registration form and the discount will be applied automatically.
Please note that, regardless of whether or not you purchase the bag, MercaTiAmo Pablo offers University students a 10% discount on their shopping (minimum spend of €10).
Uniplate: an app that helps you eat healthily and maintain a balanced diet
The Bio Bag project is linked to Uniplate, an innovative app developed by the Human Nutrition Unit and the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Parma for planning and managing weekly meals, while promoting sustainable eating habits.
The app includes self-tracking functions (monitoring of daily activities) and gamification strategies (application of typical game elements in non-playful contexts) to maintain high motivation, a recipe book with healthy and eco-friendly dishes, educational content to increase knowledge, and short video tutorials with practical cooking skills.
Uniplate can be downloaded from major online stores.
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