Sainsbury's partners with Neighbourly to distribute surplus food to charities

Food waste is a huge problem with 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted globally - this is 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption (According to the World Resources Institute).

Sainsbury’s have pledged to reduce their food waste by 50% by 2030. Sainsbury’s full year results on anaerobic digestion showed they have reduced food waste by 16%.

Sainsbury’s focus last year saw a 19% increase in human redistribution via their food donation partnerships and a 5% increase in animal feed redistribution.

Within recent months, Sainsbury’s have been redoubling their efforts to build on the fantastic work that is being done and improve their current food donation programme. And as a result have partnered with Neighbourly to manage their back of store food donation programme, who will redistribute food to those most in need.

Neighbourly is home to a network of over 17,000 charities, schools and community groups throughout the UK and Ireland. And partnering a Sainsbury’s store with a donation partner, Neighbourly can help ensure that any surplus food gets directed to the people who need it the most.

Sainsbury’s Charity partners will coordinate a daily collection service from their Sainsbury’s store where foods with a valid best before date will be donated to them. Products will include both ambient and fresh grocery items. Donation partners will be supporting a wide range of local causes including homeless centres, schools, breakfast clubs, community centres, community fridges, community cafes, night shelters, refuges, churches, and hospices.

The roll out of Neighbourly has already begun, following a successful trial, and will be used by the entire Sainsbury’s supermarket estate by the end of the year.

Sainsbury’s have been donating food to charities and community groups since 1998 and recently their key priority has been to support the most vulnerable in society during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Sainsbury’s also during the pandemic made a £3 million commitment to FareShare and funded and supported distribution of over 24 million meals, via thousands of charities.

Ruth Cranston, Group Head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, said: “We’re delighted to have partnered with Neighbourly to ensure we’re supporting people in our local communities through donations of surplus food from our stores. We’re committed to reducing food waste and we’re really excited to be working with Neighbourly to help us with our mission.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, said: “Getting surplus food to community causes is a win-win: making sure unsold food is put to the best possible use while combatting the environmental impact of wasted food. Sainsbury’s is genuinely committed to local action, and we’re pleased to be scaling up our partnership to help forge strong community collaboration between stores and their neighbourhood charity partners.”