Coronavirus: Morrisons donates £10m worth of groceries to food banks struggling to keep up with demand amid outbreak
'We will play our part so that nobody is left behind', says supermarket boss
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Your support makes all the difference.Morrisons is distributing £10m worth of groceries to food banks across the UK during the coronavirus outbreak.
The supermarket chain, which makes many of its own products, is keeping its own manufacturing sites open an extra hour every day to make, prepare and pack essentials such as baked goods, eggs, fruit and for food banks that are struggling to keep up with demand.
Over the last few weeks, a number of food banks have been forced to close due to shortage in supply following stockpiling, a reduction in donations from the community and the need for older volunteers to self-isolate at home.
David Potts, chief executive of Morrisons, said: “As a food maker and shopkeeper we are uniquely placed to help.
“We know food banks are finding life very difficult and running our manufacturing sites for an extra hour each day to help restock them is the right decision at this time.
“For many people who use the food banks that's their only store - so it is a very important part of society and we will play our part so that nobody is left behind.”
The retailer is planning to distribute £10m worth of food to food banks by July and has also pledged to send extra deliveries of canned goods and pasta to its stores for them to give to local food banks.
Morrison’s is also encouraging customers to make donations, by lifting purchase limits to four items and transforming its in-store cafes – which are currently closed for business – into donation hubs.
The company is not the only supermarket helping the most vulnerable during the coronavirus pandemic.
Last week the the Co-op pledged to donate £1.5m worth of food to the UK’s largest food redistribution charity FareShare, the UK’s largest hunger-fighting charity.
Lindsay Boswell, FareShare chief executive, said: “The situation around coronavirus is unprecedented and developing fast, and we are working as a UK-wide network of redistribution organisations to meet the changing needs of local organisations on the ground and ensure we are best prepared for all possible outcomes.”
The Independent has also launched an appeal to help those going hungry because of the coronavirus crisis, teaming up with The Felix Project – a start-up charity we helped launch in 2016 – to deliver produce to community hubs in London boroughs.
The Help the Hungry campaign has been backed by a number of politicians including Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, and Jess Phillips, the Labour MP who recently ran for party leader.
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