Supermarket chain Asda has launched a national food drive asking customers to give groceries and essential toiletries in-store to help people who need to use food banks. The campaign will run from May 6 to 8, with store staff, alongside volunteers from food banks in the Trussell Trust network, encouraging customers to donate.
Asda has accept customer food donations in store for five years with shoppers donating the equivalent of over nine million meals. The chain's Better Starts Manager Kloe Tegg said: “We know the ever-important role food banks play in local communities as people struggle to afford items we all need.
"We collect all year round but over the next few days we are hoping this food drive will lead to a big upturn in what will be vital donations. I am always so proud of the donations made by our customers and I am so thankful for the help they give to people in their communities who need it most.”
Through the £25 million donation Asda has made to its charity partners during the past three years, £5.7 million has been granted to food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network to provide services such as finance and debt advice.
Trussell Trust head of corporate partnerships, Sophie Carre, added: “ As the cost-of-living crisis continues, food banks are telling us more people in communities across the country will be pushed deeper into poverty. This isn’t right.
"While we push for long-term change that ensures everyone has enough money for the things we all need to live, we are thankful to Asda for holding a food drive in May, which will help us make sure families can get emergency support. Customers could make a real difference to their local food bank by donating food at their closest large Asda store during the summer food drive.”
Beyond the partnership with the Trussell Trust, Asda also makes charitable donations through a back of store donation scheme, which in 2021 donated enough surplus food to community projects to make the equivalent of 6.6 million meals and is part of the supermarket’s commitment to reduce food waste by 50 per cent before 2030.
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea
