26 July 2023
“At a time when millions of people are going hungry across the UK, the donations we receive from generous Tesco customers is absolutely vital for the charities and community groups we provide food to.”
Polly Hoffman, Head of Retail at FareShare
Donation bags filled with items most needed by local charities have gone on sale in 300 Tesco stores this summer in support of FareShare and the Trussell Trust.
Customers can pick up the donation bags as they enter the store and purchase them with their shopping at checkout, making it quick and easy for shoppers to give a helping hand to charities feeding people in the community.
The bags will be filled with long life items like pasta, cereals and tea bags to be donated directly to a local charity, community group or food bank supporting people that are facing economic insecurity this summer.
Last year, generous Tesco shoppers donated the equivalent of 12.5 million meals’ worth of food to FareShare and the Trussell Trust.
The donation bags will be available in 300 Tesco stores from Monday 24 July until Sunday 3 September, alongside Permanent Collection Points where customers can donate long life food items all year round.
Over the summer, customers will also be able to round up their bill to the nearest pound at checkout, making it even easier to offer financial support to FareShare and the Trussell Trust. This will be available in store from Monday 24 July to Sunday 6 August and from Monday 28 August to Sunday 3 September.
Donations are more important than ever as the charities have reported an increasing need demand for food. Polly Hoffman, Head of Retail at FareShare, said: “The need for FareShare food has been rising rapidly as a result of the cost of living crisis, and will continue to do so throughout the summer holidays when more families rely on these vital local services to feed themselves and their loved ones.
“At a time when millions of people are going hungry across the UK, the donations we receive from generous Tesco customers is absolutely vital for the charities and community groups we provide food to. That’s why we’re thrilled that Tesco is making it even easier for people to support FareShare by introducing donation bags in store this summer.”
Emma Revie, CEO at the Trussell Trust, added: “We are extremely grateful to Tesco for once again providing innovative new ways for their customers to support our network of more than 1,300 food bank centres. Over the last year, food banks have faced record levels of need and, while donations have increased by 18%, our network distributed 37% more emergency food parcels than in 2021/2022. The generosity of Tesco and its customers plays a vital role in ensuring that food banks can continue to support people who cannot afford the essentials, as we continue working towards our vision of ending the need for food banks.”
