UK retailer the Co-op has pledged to provide 100,000 meals to people in need in the run-up to Christmas, through its partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare.
Surplus meat, fruit, vegetables, ready meals and chilled items will be distributed to FareShare through the Co-ops nine depots across the UK, who will then allocate it to groups so that they can provide meals for those in need.
Over 1,135 charities and community groups have already received Co-op food through FareShare this year, including children's breakfast and after school clubs, youth centres, hostels, homeless charities and food banks.
In April, the Co-op launched a 60-store trial to redistribute food from its stores.
Food Waste
“We’re very proud of our partnership with FareShare which has enabled us to provide over three million meals to vulnerable people in just four years," said Cathryn Higgs, head of food policy at the Co-op.
"Our long-term ambition is that no food fit for consumption should go to waste and that’s why we are why we are working hard to provide an extra 100,000 meals in the run up to Christmas – a time of year that is so strongly associated with the enjoyment of food."
Dutch retailer Jumbo and Tesco Ireland have both launched similar schemes to donate meals this Christmas.
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
