Tesco's Neighbourhood Food Collection breaks the 30 million meals mark

by Benson Agoha | Business

Generous Tesco customers have donated more than 3.7 million meals during the seventh Neighbourhood Food Collection, which took place between 3rd and 5th December 2015, bringing the total number of meals collected by Tesco customers to over 30 million since the programme began in 2012.

The collection provides essential lifelines for people in need over the festive period and will be redistributed through charity partners FareShare and The Trussell Trust. For many people in food poverty, food is just the first step in helping them access other services and support which can help get their lives back on track, so the potential impact of a food donation cannot be underestimated.

The food donated by kind-hearted Tesco customers over these three days equates to more than 3.7 million meals, which will be split between charity partners FareShare and The Trussell Trust. This collection takes the total number of meals raised for people in need since the Neighbourhood Food Collection began in 2012 past the 30 million mark.

Tesco will add an extra 30% to all customer donations in the form of financial support to the two charities, helping them expand their network and reach more people in need. Examples of how the charities have previously used the Tesco top-up funding include investing in additional services at foodbanks and funding vehicle costs for delivery in rural communities. Since 2012 the top-up has resulted in combined funding of over £3.6 million to FareShare and The Trussell Trust. 

During the collection, customers were asked to donate non-perishable food items such as long-life milk, cereals and tinned goods such as fish, fruit and vegetables. Volunteers from The Trussell Trust, FareShare, [BT and the British Red Cross] joined Tesco colleagues in store over the course of the three days to collect donations from customers.

Josh Hardie, Corporate Responsibility Director for Tesco, said:“Once again we are humbled by the enormous generosity our customers have shown in their local communities for the Neighbourhood Food Collection. Many people are facing tough circumstances which are often worsened during the cold winter months – a time when most of us are feeling festive – and the food donated plays a vital role in helping many people in need. Also, the collection could not take place without the support and response from our colleagues and volunteers, and we want to thank everyone involved that has made this such a storming success.”

Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, said: “The Neighbourhood Food Collection genuinely captures the heart of our generous public and helps to raise much awareness of the food poverty issues facing vulnerable people right across the country. The overwhelming level of donations means we can provide even more food to our member charities and help feed more people in need, not just at Christmas, but all year round.”

David McAuley, Trussell Trust Chief Executive, said: “We want to say a massive thank you to all those who participated in this December’s Neighbourhood Food Collection. Christmas is a particularly stark time to face hunger. For families already managing on extremely tight budgets, increased winter fuel bills and the absence of free school meals can force people to make harsh choices between heating the home or feeding the family. We’ve met families who are all sleeping in one room to share warmth, school children too cold to sleep and elderly people down to their last tin of food. There are too many people struggling to afford fuel and food in the UK. The staggering generosity of Tesco customers, store staff and volunteers, will enable foodbanks UK wide to provide vital food and support to people who find themselves struggling, making this Christmas a little brighter for people in crisis.”