A partnership between food retailers and FareShare, a network of
charitable food redistributors, has redirected 22,000 tonnes of
food to charitable purposes including food banks, community
centres and schools; equivalent to over 57 million meals for
vulnerable people. According to an analysis by BRC and FareShare,
over 8,000 charities benefitted from the scheme, helping almost
one million people in 2022-23.
As well as surplus from shops and distribution centres, FareShare
redistributed over 1,000 tonnes of food donated directed by
supermarket customers through the retailers’ donation boxes.
These generous donations have helped tens of thousands of
families all over the UK.
Surplus donated from food retailers also helps to cut waste and
reduce unnecessary carbon emissions from the production and
transport of food. In total, it is estimated that these
partnerships have helped prevent over 15,000 tonnes of
CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) being wasted. All the
major UK supermarkets have signed the BRC Climate Action Roadmap,
which pledges to drive the industry to Net Zero, including supply
chains, by 2040.
Redistributing food is just one of the ways in which food
retailers are helping households during the cost of living
crisis. They are also investing in lower prices, locking the
price of many essential goods, and offering discounts to
vulnerable shoppers.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the BRC,
said:
“The work by FareShare and the major food retailers is supporting
households around the country at a difficult time. Not only does
this initiative help to get food to those who need it the most,
but it also helps reduce waste and cut harmful climate
emissions.”
George Wright, CEO at FareShare, said:
“We simply would not be able to support our network of charities
and community groups without supermarkets. These charities help
tackle the root causes of poverty, and provide vital wraparound
services including after-school and breakfast clubs, homelessness
shelters and domestic violence refuges. This food is crucial at a
time when millions are being forced into food insecurity,and also
acts as a gateway to other services, supporting people
facing isolation and loneliness, and strengthening the local
community. In times of crisis our retail partners have stepped up
to help distribute the equivalent of millions of meals, which
would have otherwise gone to waste. The historic partnership
between FareShare and retailers has also prevented the wasteful
emissions of thousands of tonnes of C02e. We look forward to
building our relationship with the retail sector, and getting
more of this food to people, not waste.”
Sandwich Angels is a community group based in
Hyde, Tameside, Greater Manchester providing much needed food
parcels to people in the community. Christina Howard from
Sandwich Angels said:
"The supermarkets we receive food from are absolutely
brilliant, I can’t fault any of them. Thanks to their work
with FareShare, we can create food parcels including fruit,
veg eggs and bakery.“Fruit and veg is so important because people
need vitamin C and nutritious food. With potatoes, the parents
can make a meal – you don’t realise how much of a difference it
makes to feed people. About 90% of the people we give food to
have children, so you can imagine how many mouths we’re
feeding.“The food is so important and it keeps us feeding the
families. The nutrition of the children is most important –
without the fruit and veg, we wouldn’t be able to feed the
families properly. Many families actually cry when they get the
food because they can have a good meal.”
