Morrisons to provide 2 million meals to families in need

MORRISONS is extending its work with leading food redistribution charity The Bread and, butter Thing (TBBT), to provide great quality food for thousands of families in the UK, while at the same time significantly reducing food waste in its food making operations and supply chain around the UK.

Food factories are the 2nd highest source of food waste after households, according to the food waste charity WRAP. This typically happens because of overproduction, imperfections, mis-labelling or because the food runs out of shelf life.

During 2021, Morrisons plans to redistribute surplus food to 30,000 families in need through TBBT. Morrisons partnership with TBBT was set up in 2016 and has so far provided 2m meals to its members.

The food; amounting to another 800 tonnes or 2 million meals a year, will come from a range of Morrisons food making sites, distribution centres, and UK suppliers. The range of products donated will include fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, prepared food and bread.

TBBT will redistribute it to families in need of healthy and nutritious meals. Its research found 80% of adults who received food from TBBT are skipping meals themselves to feed their families.

So far, the partnership has enabled TBBT to double its reach from its Greater Manchester origins. A 2nd TBBT warehouse opened in County Durham in November 2020, new vans will take the fleet to 10, and over 50 hubs are expected to be operational across the North of England, by mid 2021. Morrisons support will enable the charity to expand nationally to 100 locations by the start of 2022.

Steven, butts, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Morrisons, said:- "Reducing food waste is important to our customers, colleagues and shareholders. We've made very strong progress in reducing waste in our supermarkets over many years. , but there is still more to do behind the scenes and this extension of our partnership with TBBT will mean that they can do even more for families around the UK while at the same time helping us further reduce wasted food."

Mark Game, CEO TBBT, said:- "We've all faced enormous challenges this year and we could not have done it without Morrisons' continued support and the heroic efforts of its team to keep its surplus food coming to us in addition to feeding the nation during this tumultuous time. I'm enormously grateful to Morrisons and all its staff for helping us to keep our members fed with quality, nutritious food which, for a whole variety of reasons, couldn't be sold. We work in some of the UK's most deprived communities. The financial savings for people using our service are significant, people eat better quality and a bigger variety of food, and we save tonnes of surplus edible food from going to waste. It's a win/win solution for everyone. Morrisons have been a major supporter since our launch in 2016, and I'm excited that this new, extended partnership will enable us to grow nationwide."

Morrisons has pledged to reduce operational food waste by 50% by 2030. To date the supermarket has launched the biggest Wonky fruit and veg range, has donated surplus food from every store, and offers boxes of veg, bakery and deli items for just ₤3.09 via the Too Good to Go App. Since 2015 Morrisons stores have also given surplus food to local good causes; totalling 3.5 tonnes in 2020.

Did you know that Morrisons has 18 of its own food making sites; preparing:- meat, fruit, veg, fish, bakery and fresh food products, plus 6 distribution centres? Also, did you know that the supermarket is the largest fresh food manufacturer in the UK, and makes more than ½ of the fresh food sold in its stores?

Tesco reaffirms support for Marcus Rashford's Food Poverty TaskForce

TESCO has reaffirmed its commitment to Marcus Rashford's Food Poverty TaskForce and will continue to support his campaign for free School meals for every child that needs them, at any time. In addition to its work alongside Marcus and the other members of the TaskForce, Tesco will continue its wider work to help families, who are facing hardship due to the Pandemic, to put healthy, nutritious food on their tables. For families facing hardship there are a number of schemes and organisations that can provide help. These include:-

1. The Tesco Healthy Start Coupon that provides an additional ₤1 coupon for extra fruit and vegetables for Healthy Start customers.

2. Free School Meal vouchers which are accepted in all Tesco stores. Free School Meal vouchers are provided during School Holidays to the families of children who normally qualify for free School meals during term time.

3. Healthy Start vouchers which are accepted in all Tesco stores. Healthy Start is a Government scheme to improve the health of low income pregnant women and families on benefits and Tax Credits. Under the scheme, eligible families are provided with vouchers every week to spend on:- milk, fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried, and tinned pulses, and infant formula milk.

4. Families can find emergency support in their local area online now.

5. FareShare who work with 11,000 charities to provide food to those who need it. Families needing support can find more information here. Charities can register their interest at:- FareShare.Org.UK.

6. The Trussell Trust which runs a network of foodbanks providing food and support to families and individuals who need it. More information on the help that is available can be found online.

7. Tesco Bags of Help scheme will continue to support thousands of families and charity groups in communities across the UK with funding needed to provide food and resources.

8. Families can download a free cookbook from Biteback that will help them put together 5 healthy lunchtime recipes from a shopping list that costs less than ₤15 [the value of free School meal vouchers]

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and ROI CEO, said:- "Many families, particularly those with young children, are facing particular hardship as a result of the Pandemic and finding it hard to put food on the table. By working together with our partners we can help to get healthy, nutritious food to those who need it. We therefore remain 100% committed to the Food Poverty TaskForce and to our charity partners who provide food banks and community groups with vital supplies."

Marcus Rashford said:- "When I formed the Child Food Poverty TaskForce, I understood that there was real power in unity and strength in numbers. We have been able to demonstrate that, regardless of competitor business, we will stand together on issues such as child hunger. That's powerful, and it's necessary as there is still so much more work to be done. I've been blown away by how members have stepped up to the plate to support our most vulnerable children with access to vital food sources and Tesco has really gone above and beyond. The supermarket's commitment to change and to community is evident for all to see and I can't thank them enough for their support."

In October 2020, Tesco donated an additional ₤4million of food to FareShare to support it through the current period of record demand. Combined with its regular food donations through its Community Food Connection scheme, Tesco has made food donations worth more than ₤60m in 2020. Earlier this year, the supermarket provided ₤15m of food to FareShare and the Trussell Trust to support those who needed help at the start of the Pandemic.