Tag: surplus food

Aldi provides over 13,000 meals to Edinburgh charities over festive period

Aldi helped deliver 13,823 meals to people in Edinburgh over the Christmas and New Year period by donating surplus food from its stores.

The UK’s fourth largest supermarket teamed up with local good causes across Edinburgh – including Porty Community Fridge, Food Rescue Group and Tummies Not Trash – to donate a range of fresh and chilled foods from its stores after closing early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Neighbourly, the community giving platform that partners with Aldi, found that charitable organisations faced increasing pressure over the winter period, with four in five charities saying demand for their services had risen over the past six months and demand for foodbanks and other food provision expected to increase by nearly 30% over the colder months.

Aldi has worked with Neighbourly since 2019 and provides surplus food from all of its UK stores to thousands of charities across the country.

Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “This Christmas we were proud to support so many incredible charities across the UK who provide essential support to those in need.

“The services provided by food banks are more important than ever in the current climate, especially over the festive period and we’re committed to ensuring those that rely on them have access to a wide range of high-quality foods.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO at Neighbourly, added: “We’re so grateful to have had Aldi’s support for another year.

“Christmas is one of the busiest periods for our charities and the donations from Aldi mean we can help even more people across the country who need that bit of extra support over the festive period.”

Shoppers can donate food to local charities, food banks and community groups via the community donation points in Aldi stores nationwide.

Aldi also works with Company Shop Group, the UK’s leading redistributor of surplus food and household products, to redistribute surplus food from its Regional Distribution Centres. This year, it provided more than 2,500 free Christmas lunches to Company Shop’s award-winning social enterprise, Community Shop.

The UK’s fourth largest supermarket also made it easier for shoppers to give back through a warm clothing and post-Christmas clear-out appeal with The Salvation Army and InPost Lockers, allowing customers to donate coats, hats, scarves and gloves – as well as unwanted Christmas gifts in good condition – at InPost Locker donation points in Aldi stores across the UK.

Company Shop Edinburgh marks first birthday

Members have saved more than £3 million since opening

Company Shop Edinburgh, which is part of the UK’s leading redistribution organisation Company Shop Group, is celebrating its first birthday, having saved members over £3million collectively since it first opened its doors on Dumbryden Road one year ago.

The store has since redistributed an incredible 1,547 tonnes of surplus items, which is the equivalent of 570 Olympic swimming pools. This means that perfectly good surplus food and household products, purchased by Company Shop Group from the FMCG supply chain including from major retailers and manufacturers, have been prevented from needlessly going to waste.

To mark the occasion, Company Shop Edinburgh celebrated with members with cake and refreshments in-store, and a range of exclusive ‘1st birthday’ offers were made available to members on the day.

Shelves in the store are stocked with heavily discounted food and household products from big name brands such as Marks and Spencer, Nestlé, Iceland and Tesco. All the products sold are in date and perfectly good to eat or use, but are deemed ‘surplus’ and may have otherwise gone to waste due to incorrect or wonky labelling, seasonal packaging or overstock – amongst many other reasons.

As a result, products are on average 50% off the normal retail price, helping to stretch hard-working family budgets further.

The store operates on a membership basis and is open to those working in the NHS, emergency services, social care, FMCG supply chain, British Armed Forces, prison services and employees of charities.

To ensure that the discounted food and household products reach those most in need, the store is also open to those receiving means tested benefits. Anyone eligible for membership is encouraged to sign up for free online, and once registered, membership lasts a lifetime.

As well as providing low-cost food and products to those who need it the most, Company Shop Edinburgh has helped local businesses to do something positive with their surplus, in addition to bringing around 80 new jobs to the area.

Company Shop Edinburgh is part of a network of what is now 14 stores. The Group’s latest impact report revealed that over 80million surplus items were redistributed across stores over the course of 2020, saving 28,073 tonnes of surplus from going to waste.

Company Shop Edinburgh Store Manager, Jory Kinney, said: “We’re really proud to be celebrating the one-year anniversary of Company Shop Edinburgh, and particularly to reflect on the impact that the store has made on the local community over the course of the year.

“Company Shop Edinburgh would not be possible without the ongoing support of our members, the wider community and our industry partners, and we’re grateful to all of them for that.

“We look forward to continuing to build on the strong foundations in the years ahead, preventing surplus from going to waste and stretching the budgets of hard-working families.”

Aldi is donating food to charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians over Christmas

Here’s how to apply …

Aldi is once again embracing the season of goodwill by calling on charities, community groups and food banks in Edinburgh and the Lothians to register now to receive surplus food donations this Christmas Eve.  

Last Christmas, Aldi donated nearly 48,000 meals to good causes throughout Scotland, and expects to increase this number for Christmas 2020. The meals will support those in need at a time when more households are experiencing financial hardship and food insecurity as a result of the pandemic.  

Thanks to Aldi’s successful partnership with Neighbourly, a community engagement platform that links businesses to food banks and charities, all of Aldi’s 92 Scottish stores now donate surplus food seven days a week, all year round.  

Christmas provides an opportunity for even more charities to benefit from the initiative, and any charities and community groups in Edinburgh and the Lothians with the resource to help can get in touch to register for a festive food donation from Britain’s fifth largest supermarket.  

Charities will be paired with local Aldi stores and can collect fresh and chilled food products that are near the end of their shelf life – including fruit, vegetables, fresh meat, fish and bread – ahead of stores closing on Christmas Eve.  

Luke Peech, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “Our Christmas food donations scheme plays a big role in supporting those in need during the festive period and is something we are very passionate about. This is our fourth year running the initiative and we look forward to working with local charities in Edinburgh and the Lothians once again.  

“Last year we were able to help thousands of people across Scotland, and this year we’re hoping to extend this even further in what has been a challenging year for so many.”  

Steve Butterworth from Neighbourly, added: “Sadly, charities and local causes are expecting record demand for their services this Christmas because of the pandemic and its impact on communities up and down the country. 

“We’re sure there are lots more groups out there that could put the food to good use, so we’d encourage them to get in touch.” 

Organisations do not need to be a registered charity to apply but must: 

  • Have a level two hygiene certificate gained in the last two years 
  • Be able to transport and store chilled food products after collecting them on Christmas Eve at 5pm 

Those interested in working with Aldi this Christmas should contact Neighbourly at aldichristmas@neighbourly before 7th December 2020. 

Warehouse refit enables food charity to help feed 2,000 more people every week

An Edinburgh food charity has conducted a warehouse refit during its 20th anniversary year, which will enable the charity to help feed an additional 2,000 vulnerable people each week. 

FareShare Central & South East Scotland, which is run by partner charity Cyrenians, has also purchased a new, larger industrial chiller – all of which has been funded by Asda.  Continue reading Warehouse refit enables food charity to help feed 2,000 more people every week