Bucks shoppers break record in donation to food banks

Buckinghamshire Tesco shoppers have been their most generous ever in support of foodbanks and local charities, helping to make it a record-breaking year.

The  total amount of food donated by Tesco shoppers to the Trussell Trust and FareShare during 2022 was equivalent of 12.5 million meals – 151,769 of which came from Bucks.

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK and Northern Ireland CEO, said: “Our customers have always amazed us with their generosity, this year more than ever. We know that household budgets are very stretched, but our customers have been incredible. We had people donating whole trollies of food at our recent Tesco Food Collection, and it is genuinely heart-warming to see so much kindness. The fact that we now have collection points in every store has made it easier than ever for customers to donate, and those donations are really needed.”

In addition to the donations of food, the pre-Christmas Tesco Food Collection saw customers donate more than £382,000 to the charities by rounding up their bills at the till, donate £133,000 through a link from Tesco’s online groceries website and give more than £19,000 of Tesco Clubcard vouchers, which Tesco has matched.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive at the Trussell Trust, said: “Food banks across the UK are facing their hardest winter yet as they struggle to cope with a tsunami of need caused by the cost-of- living emergency. On a daily basis food banks in our network are hearing from families up and down the country who are having to make impossible decisions between putting food on the table or turning on the heating – and too many people are being left with no option but to use a food bank because their money simply won’t stretch.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of Tesco customers, food banks across the Trussell Trust network can continue to provide emergency food and support to people facing hardship. Each and every donation made in Buckinghamshire will enable local food banks to provide immediate help to people in the community, while the Trussell Trust works in the long term to build a future without the need for food banks."