Falkirk area Aldi stores helped donate 78,000 meals to those who needed them most

Working in partnership with the surplus food and household products redistributor Company Shop Group, the supermarket helped people and families who were struggling stopped an estimated 33 tonnes of food from going to waste.

Also involved in the process is Community Shop, an award-winning social enterprise that supports 9000 members and their families in some of the UK’s most deprived communities, by offering access to discounted products and reinvesting the revenue raised into its community kitchens and hubs.

In just one year, the partnership has supported over 2800 people through its community hub development programmes, which provide individuals and communities with the tools they need to live well and the skills to get them back into work.

It has also enabled more than 2100 people to attend cooking lessons at the community kitchen’s cook clubs, where they can learn how to prepare nutritious family meals on a budget.

Aldi’s support for Community Shop’s Christmas lunches last year also saw 1800 members come together for its biggest-ever Christmas celebration, with ingredients for the festive three-course meals provided by the supermarket.

Liz Fox, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “It’s incredible to look back at the results we’ve achieved from just one year with Company Shop Group – from saving tonnes of food from going to waste to supporting thousands of families in need. We are committed to making good quality food accessible to everyone.

"After all, it’s a right, not a privilege. We’re very excited to see what lies ahead for the partnership as we get closer to our new goal of reducing food waste in our own operations by 90 per cent before 2030.”

Gary Stott, executive chairman of Community Shop, added: “We are very proud of our partnership with Aldi and its commitment to helping prevent waste and support communities. The scheme has helped us deliver a significant social impact, while also allowing us to carry out vital work to save the planet from unnecessary waste.”