Germany’s Rewe Group supported this year’s Bundestafeltreffen (federal food bank meeting) in Potsdam, near Berlin. A ‘Lange Tafel’ (long food bank) was set up inviting citizens to eat and find out about Potsdam’s 900 food banks and their work.
Rewe and Penny provided free food and beverages for the 1,000 volunteers at the event, and donated 25 tonnes of groceries to the food banks. The donation consisted of long-lasting food such as flour, rice, noodles and sugar.
Long Tradition
“We can mitigate the consequences of poverty, but we can not eliminate its causes. The amount of people coming to food banks has doubled since 2007, and it is expected to rise even further,” said Jochen Brühl, chairman of the federal association Bundesverband der Tafeln.
Since 1996, Rewe has been donating most of its unsold food to food banks, while Penny has been involved since 2007. This applies to food that can not be sold anymore, but can still be consumed, such as bruised fruits and vegetables.
“We have been cooperating with the federal association since 1996. Over the decades, we have developed a relationship based on mutual trust,” said Martin Brüning, head of Rewe Group corporate communications.
“What unites us is the wish to help people that are in need of our assistance. Rewe and Penny are already selling 99% of their products, and most of the remaining food is donated to food banks."
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Larissa Zimmer. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
