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Innovative supermarket trial to help battle growing food poverty as Sainsbury's launches food drive with FareShare

Sainsbury

7 July 2011

An innovative food donation trial is to be tested at a number of Sainsbury's stores this weekend, following research from FareShare, which shows that 40% of community charities are struggling to meet demand for food.
As such, at 19 Sainsbury's stores across the country, customers will be able to add an extra item to their shopping, which will then be delivered to local community projects by FareShare. Should the trial prove successful, it could be rolled out to more stores making it easier for customers to donate food on an ongoing basis.
Lindsay Boswell, Chief Executive of FareShare says: "At a time of severe economic hardship, we are seeing unprecedented and increasing demand for food donations. We are highlighting the issue to encourage the food industry and the general public to increase their support."
Sainsbury's retail and logistics director, Roger Burnley, said: "The food we donate to FareShare tends to be fresh produce as this has the shortest shelf life. However, to make a nutritious meal, you need more than just fresh food, which is why we would like to give customers the opportunity to donate store cupboard items through this unique trial.
FareShare is a national food charity that addresses hunger in the UK by redistributing quality surplus food from the food industry to people who need it. Sainsbury's has been working with FareShare since 1994 but this is the first time customers are being asked to actively take part.
Lindsay added: "FareShare is a cost effective solution to the food industry's surpluses. With more people than ever needing help just to eat, and the squeeze on charities and other organisations to provide food, we need more food companies to follow the example of companies like Sainsbury's which last year provided us with enough food to provide 1 million meals.
"The tough economic climate is impacting everyone. But by adding a single packet of rice, or one bag of sugar to the weekly shop donated to us during this trial, Sainsbury's customers will be making an enormous difference to our ability to support hungry and vulnerable people in their area with healthy and nutritious food."
FareShare provides the food to feed more than 35,000 people a day, up from 29,000 last year, having recorded the largest increase in the number of charities desperate for its food, up from 600 to 700. It does so by using good food that would otherwise have been thrown away.
FareShare is unique in that it secures surplus, fit to eat, food from the food industry and redistributes it to community charities helping those in need, saving them nearly £8 million per year in food and other costs.
The trial, which takes place in 19 Sainsbury's stores across the UK, begins on Friday July 8th and will continue until Sunday July 10th. Customers can choose from a variety of suggested items, which are purchased as normal and left with the cashier at the till to be distributed at the end of the trial.
Learn more about food donations in our latest Hot Topic.
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Notes to editors
For Sainsbury's, corporate responsibility means many things. It is about providing our customers with the widest choice of quality food, at fair prices. But also about paying our suppliers a fair price and providing the reassurance of knowing that they have a buyer for their products on reasonable terms. It means enriching our communities through employment and career development opportunities, while growing our business profitably for our shareholders. And it means making the most effective use of our valuable resources like water and electricity, and respecting the local environment.
FareShare is the national charity working to relieve food poverty by redistributing quality surplus food from the food industry to a network of over 700 community organisations that support homeless and other vulnerable people. The charity also provides training and education around the essential life skills of safe food preparation and nutrition, and warehouse employability training through FareShare's Eat Well Live Well programme.
Last year, the food redistributed by the charity contributed towards 8.6 million meals for vulnerable people. The charity runs 16 operations across the country and every day 35,000 people benefit from the FareShare service
FareShare is a winner of 'Britain's Most Admired Charity' (2010) awarded by the third sector.
For more information on how to support FareShare visit http://www.fareshare.org.uk/
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