Tesco Collects Nearly 3 Million Meals to Feed People in Need
Generous Tesco customers got into the festive spirit by
donating more than 2.8 million meals to people in need during the ninth
Neighbourhood Food Collection, which took place between 1 and 3 December.
This collection brings the total number of meals collected
by Tesco customers to an astounding 41 million since the programme began in
2012.
The collection provides essential food for people in need
over the festive period and beyond, and will now be redistributed through
foodbank charity, The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity,
FareShare.
During the collection, Tesco customers were asked to donate
non-perishable food items such as long-life milk, tinned vegetables, tinned
meat and Christmas treats. Volunteers from Trussell Trust foodbanks and FareShare
joined Tesco colleagues in store over the course of the three days to collect
donations from kind-hearted customers.
Tesco will add an extra 20% to all customer donations in the
form of financial support to the two charities. This financial top up is used
by The Trussell Trust and FareShare to provide additional services such as
counselling and housing advice, volunteering and training opportunities as well
as helping to cover running costs in order to provide more food to people in
crisis.
Matt Davies, UK and ROI CEO at Tesco said:
“Once again we've been overwhelmed by the incredible
generosity our customers have shown in their local communities for the
Neighbourhood Food Collection. With winter upon us, it's absolutely essential
this food now goes to helping those in need.
“The collection could not take place without the support and
response from our colleagues and volunteers, and we want to thank everyone
involved who helped to make this collection so successful.”
The donations come at a vital time when both The Trussell
Trust and FareShare see an increase for their support.
David McAuley, Trussell Trust Chief Executive, said
“The staggering generosity of Tesco customers, store
colleagues and volunteers, means foodbanks UK wide will be able to provide
vital food and support to people who are struggling during what could be our
busiest December yet. Thank you for your support - your generosity will help
stop hunger this Christmas.”
Lindsay Boswell, CEO of FareShare, said:
“What we're seeing, right across the country, is an
increased demand from the organisations we work with for more food. They have
more mouths to feed. There has been a 26% increase in the number of charities
signing up to FareShare in the last year, so without the Neighbourhood Food
Collection we simply couldn't meet the growing demand. Every single item of
food donated will make a difference, so thank you to everyone involved.”
In addition to the Neighbourhood Food Collection, Tesco has
over 600 permanent collection points across the UK where customers can donate
food each week.
Food collections also took place at Tesco stores in Central
Europe with over 1.1 million meals collected across Poland, Slovakia, Hungary
and Czech Republic – a 20% increase on last year's collection. Tesco will add
an extra 20% to all customer donations in the form of financial support to
charity partners in Central Europe too.
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