Asda urging customers to donate essentials to food banks
LEEDS-BASED ASDA is asking customers to donate food and essential toiletries in-store to help people who need to use food banks.
The drive will take place in its 390 superstores from today until May 8 with staff in store, alongside volunteers from food banks in the Trussell Trust network, encouraging customers to donate an extra item or two to help food banks support people who are experiencing hardship in the community.
Some stores will be joined by the local charities who will have stalls and information about their community project as well as a donation bucket. There will also be message boards and information by products signposting customers to which items are needed the most.
Asda has had customer collection food trolleys in store for five years and in that time its customers have donated the equivalent of more than nine million meals.
Asda better starts manager, Kloe Tegg, said: “We know the ever-important role food banks play in local communities as people struggle to afford items we all need. We collect all-year round but over the next few days we are hoping this food drive will lead to a big upturn in what will be vital donations.
“I am always so proud of the donations made by our customers and I am so thankful for the help they give to people in their communities who need it most.”
Through the £25m donation Asda has made to its charity partners over the past three years, £5.7m has been granted to food banks in the Trussell Trust’s network to provide services such as finance and debt advice.
The Trussell Trust’s head of corporate partnerships, Sophie Carre, said: “As the cost-of-living crisis continues, food banks are telling us more people in communities across the country will be pushed deeper into poverty.
“This isn’t right. While we push for long-term change that ensures everyone has enough money for the things we all need to live, we are thankful to Asda for holding a food drive in May, which will help us make sure families can get emergency support from food banks this summer.
“Asda customers could make a real difference.”
Asda also makes charitable donations through a back-of-store donation scheme, which in 2021 saw stores, depots and Asda’s home office donate enough surplus food to community projects to make the equivalent of 6.6 million meals.