LIDL GB TO DONATE 1.8 MILLION MEALS IN 2023 TO HELP COMBAT SCHOOL HOLIDAY HUNGER FOR FAMILIES IN NEED
Lidl has announced its plan to donate approximately 1.8 million meals to low-income families in Great Britain during the 2023 school holidays, as part of its efforts to combat holiday hunger. This initiative is particularly important given that 31% of UK children are living in poverty.
The food donations will be distributed through Lidl’s charity network partner, Neighbourly, and other local organizations. The donations will include contributions from Lidl stores as well as customer donations through the ‘Good to Give’ campaign, which aims to increase the nutritional variety of meals provided to families in need.
Lidl’s commitment to addressing food poverty has resulted in over 25 million meal donations since 2017.
In addition to its existing efforts, Lidl has recently introduced a new frozen food donation scheme in collaboration with Neighbourly. This scheme allows surplus, limited-time offers of food to be quickly distributed to local charities. By expanding its food donation initiatives, Lidl aims to provide even more support to low-income families and those in need during the school holidays.
The implementation of the frozen food donation scheme has benefited from the experience of Lidl store teams in coordinating with local charities. It is estimated that these donations will save an impressive 800 metric tons of food waste annually.
Mark Newbold, Senior CSR Manager at Lidl GB, acknowledged that the school holidays can be a challenging time for many families in the UK. He emphasized the increased demand for donations when low-income families, who rely on free school meals during term time, lose that support during holidays. Lidl is dedicated to going above and beyond to support families in need during this period.
The donations, both through Good to Give and surplus from Lidl stores, are distributed through dedicated charity partners, and Lidl expresses gratitude for their valuable work. Providing nutritious food to those in need remains a priority for Lidl, and the company looks forward to continuing its efforts in the future.
