Making a difference could be as easy as picking up one of Tesco’s pre-packed bags in-store or adding items from the list below to your basket
The festive season may almost be upon us, but for many families in the UK it won’t be a merry one.
New research released by the anti-poverty charity, Trussell, reveals that a record 9.3 million people in the UK are facing hunger and hardship this year.
According to the charity, one in five children is affected by the crisis, but for those aged three and under the figure is one in four, making them the age group most at risk.
While many of us will be appalled by these statistics, the problem is knowing how we can make a meaningful difference. Thankfully that’s where Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, is stepping in to help.
Customers who can afford to do so can, in two simple but impactful ways, help people facing hunger.
Firstly, you’ll be given the option to “round up” to the nearest £1 at the till, with donations split directly between Trussell, which operates the UK’s largest network of food banks, and FareShare, the UK’s largest charity fighting hunger and food waste.
Secondly, Tesco will be launching its Winter Food Collection at stores nationwide. The scheme will be running from 25-30 November in Express stores, and 28-30 November in large stores.
- UHT and powdered milk
- Tinned meat and fish
- Sponge/rice pudding
- Long life fruit juice
- Cooking/pasta sauces
- Tinned vegetables
- Tinned and dried soup
- Pasta, rice and noodles
- Cereal and porridge
- Tea and coffee
Helpfully, the retailer will be doing most of the heavy lifting, distributing pre-filled donation bags with the most-needed items to 86 Express stores (they are already in all large stores).
This not only makes donating super-easy, but also ensures the charities receive the nutritious items they most need.
Additionally, customers who can do so without sacrificing their own needs can help by adding one or more items from the “most needed” list, above, to their baskets.
Speaking about the project, Tesco’s head of community, Claire de Silva, said, “We’re really proud of our partnerships with FareShare and Trussell, and we want to continue to find ways to help them.
“With more people using food banks, the idea was to make donating as easy as possible for customers who want to support their local community.”
Marking 10 years since the charity began working with Tesco, a spokesperson for Trussell last year said, “Our partnership is the single biggest source of donated food in our community, and we know that many food banks across the UK could not continue to provide emergency food parcels to people facing hardship without Tesco’s support.”
