• I've been using Olio to get free food and find new owners for items I no longer want.

• It's a food-waste app, but users also give away clothes, books, and homewares.

• Olio has about 6.3 million users, its cofounder told Insider.

I've been using a food-waste app for a few months to get free food and find homes for items I no longer want.

Olio, a British app that connects users with free meals, ingredients, clothing, and homeware, is fast becoming more popular.

People can use Olio to give away products they no longer want, including leftover ingredients, unwanted clothing, and books they've read.

Since I started using the app in May, I've collected food including croissants, sandwiches, and long-life pantry products. I've used Olio to find new homes for books I've read, clothes I don't like, and sweet rice I realized I'd never cook.

By using Olio I've saved money, but for me the main thing is preventing food from being thrown away while it's still edible.

Many people use the app to give away items if they're moving house, but some use it to give away food before they go on vacation, because they bought a product they found out they don't like, or simply because they're having a clearout.

But there's also another side to Olio. Companies such as retailers and coffee shops can pay to use Olio as a waste-disposal service. Volunteer – called a "food waste hero" – collects items from a store as they near expiry date. Olio says it has 63,000 food waste heroes, mostly in the UK.

All users must write a description, submit photos, and say when and where the product can be collected.

For food, users often state the expiry date, too. Sometimes the descriptions are thorough, while others are vague. One time I used the app to collect what was simply listed as "croissants." The user gave me his address, where I found 47 pastries waiting on his doorstep.

Other food I've collected include items from Amazon Fresh and Pret a Manger, as well as tea, biscuits, and tinned soup from people who were having a clearout or moving house.