Tesco meal donations beat the 5000 barrier

More than 5000 meals have been donated to the needy by Tesco in Monklands.

The supermarket giant revealed its food surplus redistribution initiative, Community Food Connection, has so far helped serve five million meals to more than 3,300 community groups and charities since its launch less than a year ago.

The supermarket giant said the key objective is to ensure no food safe for human consumption will go to waste inside Tesco’s UK operations by the end of 2017.

And in Airdrie and Coatbridge its initiative has seen 5469 meals donated to local groups so far.

Launched in February 2016, Community Food Connection has involved Tesco stores providing their surplus food to local charities and community groups including foodbanks.

Matt Davies, Tesco UK CEO, said: “It’s great to see the difference Community Food Connection is making to providing people in need with meals from food that would otherwise go to waste and services they need.

“We know we still have more to do to achieve our target that no food safe for human consumption goes to waste in our UK operations, but this is important progress.

“Our colleagues are playing a vital role.

“Together with our partners FareShare and FoodCloud, they are helping to make sure local charities across the UK have access to surplus food from our stores.”

Tesco helped develop the nationwide scheme in partnership with a small social enterprise, FoodCloud, and food redistribution charity, FareShare following a successful partnership in Ireland.

The scheme is presently being carried out in 900 Tesco stores, including two in Monklands, and work is already underway to introduce it to a further 1800 convenience stores, bosses said.