25 November 2022
As FareShare and the Trussell Trust report they expect to provide food support to more than 1.2 million people this winter[i], Tesco has launched its first ever ‘reverse supermarket’ to help boost donations for the charities.
Running for this weekend only, from Friday 25 to Sunday 27 November, The Give Back Express marks the ten-year anniversary of the Food Collection partnership between Tesco, FareShare and the Trussell Trust and will raise awareness of the vital work being done by both charities.
The pop-up store is located on Poland Street in London’s West End on one of the busiest shopping weekends before Christmas, giving shoppers the opportunity to make a donation to help the charities continue supporting communities across the UK.
Tesco has worked with both charities to identify the 25 most needed items this Christmas and invites people to buy and donate them at The Give Back Express this weekend. What’s more, Tesco is matching the value of all donations made at the pop-up[ii].
FareShare forecasts it will redistribute more than 13,000 tonnes of food to people this winter[iii], while the Trussell Trust reported that 320,000 people used a food bank for the first time between April to September this year[iv], with the need continuing to rise. Tesco is therefore encouraging those who can, to give some extra help to those in need this winter.
Ken Murphy, Group Chief Executive of Tesco, said: “This winter will be increasingly challenging for many people facing food uncertainty, and food banks and frontline charities need our help more than ever before. We have been working with FareShare and the Trussell Trust for 10 years and during this time, our generous customers have helped donate over 100 million meals to communities across the UK, with Tesco topping up donations by 20%. Whether it’s at the Give Back Express; in your local store through our annual Food Collection; or via your Clubcard points online, even the smallest donation can make a real difference and help to spread a little more Christmas joy this year.”
Lindsay Boswell, CEO at FareShare said: “The cost of living crisis is driving millions of people into food insecurity. At a time when food prices and energy bills are rising, the demand for food from FareShare has skyrocketed with 75%[v] of our charities telling us they need access to more food. We are also hearing from the charities we support that this situation will only worsen, and they are worried they may not be able to meet the extra demand this winter.
“As we prepare for a challenging winter, we hope as many people visit The Give Back Express and make a donation, to help us get as much food as possible to people most impacted by the cost of living crisis. We’re incredibly grateful to Tesco for showing shoppers how they can help people facing economic hardship, and for their committed support towards our mission to fight hunger and food waste in the UK over the last 10 years.”
Inside The Give Back Express, shoppers will find displays of essential goods, from tinned foods to tea and coffee, plus pre-packaged donation bags that represent those available in Tesco stores during the Tesco Food Collection. Customers can choose and pay for the products they would like to donate but will leave with nothing other than the knowledge they’ve done something to help others with all purchases being donated on their behalf.
Emma Revie, Chief Executive at Trussell Trust said: “We are extremely grateful to Tesco for the invaluable support that they have provided to food banks across the UK over the last decade. Tesco and its customers are the biggest single source of food donations for the Trussell Trust’s network of food banks, but our partnership has also offered far more than just food. In addition to millions of pounds worth of generous donations, Tesco’s 10 years of support has helped food banks to recruit volunteers, attract new supporters and make their communities aware of the support they provide. Now, at a time when food banks are facing a tsunami of need created by the soaring cost of living, we would like to share a heartfelt thanks to Tesco for their ongoing commitment to helping the Trussell Trust provide people with access to essential items, while we work to create a future where everyone is free from hunger – for good.”
The pop-up store is opening at a time when giving back is particularly front of mind for many – the annual Tesco Christmas Report revealed an anticipated ‘gift shift’ this festive season and a rise in charitable giving and requests for donations in place of gifts. Over half (52%) the nation plans to carry out some form of charitable act this Christmas[vi], rising to 70% of 18-24-year-olds. Nearly one in ten (8%) UK adults plan to donate to charity this Christmas in place of sending gifts to family and friends – a 2% increase on 2021. This rises further to 10% amongst 18-24-year-olds. In light of this, at The Give Back Express shoppers can purchase and donate items on behalf of someone else and receive a certificate they can give in lieu of a physical present this Christmas.
Passers-by who are short on time can still lend a helping hand by simply scanning a QR code outside the store that will allow them to donate any Clubcard vouchers they have, which will be converted into a financial contribution to the charities. Furthermore, those unable to visit The Give Back Express or go into Tesco stores can donate online via https://secure.tesco.com/clubcard/donate-to-charity.
In addition to raising much-needed awareness and funds for food banks and charities, the launch of The Give Back Express aims to encourage the nation to get involved in the Tesco Food Collection. The nationwide initiative launches in Express stores from Monday 28 November to Saturday 3 December inclusive and in all Tesco stores nationwide from Thursday 1 to Saturday 3 December inclusive.
Those who can are invited to contribute in-store not only by donating at Food Collection points, but by topping up their total balance with a charity donation at the till. Pre-packaged donation bags full of essentials will also be available at stores nationwide to help make giving quick and easy. Tesco will top up the value of donations made in-stores as part of the Food Collection by a further 20% in cash.
You can find out more about how to support the Tesco Winter Food Collection here: https://fareshare.org.uk/foodcollection/
[i] Research conducted exclusively for the Tesco Food Collection by FareShare and the Trussell Trust. Trussell Trust and FareShare anticipate they will provide food support to 1.2 million people between December and February, this estimate has been calculated using distribution figures from November 2021 to February 2022 (inclusive) and the percentage increase in need experienced by both organisations between April 2022 - September 2022.
[ii] All donations made at the Tesco Give Back Express (25th-27th November), plus the amount matched by Tesco, will be monetary donation split equally between Trussell Trust (registered charity in England & Wales: 1110522 and Scotland: SC044246) and FareShare (registered charity number: 1100051). These donations will help both charities provide support in the form of meals, food parcels and other support to those facing food insecurity today.
[iii] FareShare forecasts it will redistribute more than 13,000 tonnes of food to the charities and community groups in their network this winter compared to previous winters (1 December – 28 February). Estimation calculated by comparing the same periods in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022, where FareShare redistributed 5.1% more food year on year, plus the anticipated extra food factored in due to the rising cost of living crisis resulting in an increase in demand for FareShare support.
[iv] The Trussell Trust, 2022: https://www.trusselltrust.org/news-and-blog/latest-stats/mid-year-stats/
[v] FareShare, 2022: https://fareshare.org.uk/news-media/press-releases/fareshare-cost-of-living-crisis-appeal-charities-say-demand-for-food-is-higher-than-ever/
[vi] Tesco Christmas Report 2022 based on Opinium research for Tesco during the period 26th August to 2nd September 2022, polling a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults
