Credit: Howard Lake
News Editor
Tesco has recently agreed to donate all unsold food items from its stores to charity. Glasgow stores are now looking for local charities who may wish to register for the scheme and receive the surplus food.
This deal comprises of a nationwide roll-out of a 14-store pilot programme called Community Food Connection, in partnership with FareShare, a charity tackling food waste and food poverty in the UK.
Tesco will be extending the Community Food Connection programme to its express stores across Glasgow – including those in Millbrae Road, Old Dumbarton Road, Argyle Street, and Cardonald.
The Tesco express store on Old Dumbarton Road, near Glasgow University, will begin the scheme on 3 April.
Figures released from the company from 2015 reveal that 55,400 tonnes of food were thrown away at its stores and distribution centres in the UK that year.
Tony McElroy, Tesco’s Head of Communications in Scotland, said: “We’re so proud to already support local charities and community groups through Community Food Connection from our larger stores in Glasgow and to be able to extend that support to our convenience stores is fantastic.
“We are looking forward to forging more strong links with local charities and community groups in Glasgow and supporting their efforts to help more vulnerable people in our community.”
The supermarket aims to eradicate all of its food waste by the end of 2017.
Since launching in February 2016, Tesco’s Community Food Connection has so far helped provide more than six million meals to over 3,800 community groups and charities. In Scotland, more than 500,000 meals have been donated.
FareShare is a charity that tackles food waste and food poverty UK-wide by redistributing in-date and unspoiled goods from the food & drink industry. FareShare redistributes food that would otherwise go to waste to frontline charities and community groups that support vulnerable people, including homeless shelters, children’s breakfast clubs, and domestic violence refuges.
If you know a charity or community group that could benefit from the support of Community Food Connection, visit the FareShare website.
