Asda has launched a week-long food drive to support local food banks in tackling holiday hunger.
From today, shoppers are being encouraged to donate in-demand items such as tinned goods and hygiene products to their local food bank in a trolley at the front of the store.
Asda is also trialling playing a reminder video on the Scan & Go wall to see if this helps increase the amount of food donated.
The retailer said that every summer food banks in The Trussell Trust’s network reported an increase in demand for emergency food for children, due to the extra financial pressure put on families who rely on free school meals.
According to figures from the charity, 1.6 million emergency food parcels were distributed, marking a 19% rise year on year. It is expected that this trend will continue into the summer.
“We already have permanent food collection points in store and encourage our customers to donate what they can, but over the next week we’re really trying to increase the number of donations as we go into the summer holidays, when food banks sadly see such an increase in demand from families,” said Asda chief customer officer Andy Murray.
“Our customers and colleagues are always very generous and I want to thank them for supporting our Asda Fight Hunger Create Change programme, which will make a difference in their local community, as well as on a larger scale as we continue to help people out of poverty.”
Asda’s Fight Hunger Create Change programme is a three-year, £20m partnership between the supermarket, anti-poverty charity The Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity FareShare.
The Trussell Trust CEO Emma Revie said: “No one should face going hungry at any time of year. Work is already underway as part of the Fight Hunger Create Change partnership to help us campaign for change and work towards a future where no one needs a food bank.
“While we work in the long term to tackle the structural issues that lock people in poverty, food banks in our network need your help this summer. Your generous donations will make such a difference at a time when food banks see a squeeze on the stock levels of food they have to offer people. The food you donate will help make sure families referred this summer holiday receive vital support at exactly the time when it’s most needed.”
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