Tesco shoppers donate record number of meals

Support from the Ballymoney customers was at record levels.

The total includes the 30 per cent top up by Tesco and contributes to a total of 4.3 million meals donated across the UK during the collection.

The third Neighbourhood Food Collection was held between 29 November – 1 December, in partnership with foodbanks charity, the Trussell Trust and food redistribution charity, FareShare.

The collection was launched as new research revealed that 21 per cent of people in Northern Ireland have experienced some form of food poverty in the last twelve months.

During the collection, customers were asked to donate non-perishable food items such as long-life milk, cereals and tinned vegetables and fruit. Volunteers from the Trussell Trust, FareShare and the Red Cross joined Tesco colleagues in store to collect donations from kind-hearted customers. Tesco then topped up all donations by 30 per cent.

The food will now be transported to regional FareShare depots and local foodbanks to help people in times of need this Christmas.