Donate food at Sainsbury’s Sprucefield this weekend

The store is taking part in a food donation trial through which customers will be asked to buy an extra item, which will then be delivered to local community projects.

The trial is being run in partnership with FareShare, the national food charity that addresses hunger in the UK by redistributing quality surplus food from the food industry to people who need it. Sainsbury’s has been working with FareShare since 1994 but this is the first time customers are being asked to actively take part.

FareShare Island of Ireland has been operational since 2011 through the Council for the Homeless NI and supported by funding from Food Standards Agency NI, Garfield Weston Foundation, Sodexo and the Esmee Fairbairn Trust.

Sainsbury’s retail and logistics director, Roger Burnley, said: “The food we donate to FareShare tends to be fresh produce as this has the shortest shelf life. However, to make a nutritious meal, you need more than just fresh food, which is why we would like to give customers the opportunity to donate food through this unique trial.

“Anything donated by customers in Lisburn will go to the FareShare NI depot for redistribution to local charities that really need it such as The Welcome Organisation.”

Customers can choose from a variety of suggested items, which are purchased as normal and left with the cashier at the till to be distributed at the end of the trial.