• National roll-out follows pilot in north of England
  • A staff member in each store will work with local partners
  • About 15 million tonnes of food is wasted each year in the UK

Grocer Morrisons is to donate surplus food to community groups to help those in need rather than let it go to waste.

Morrisons is the first big supermarket group that will give all unsold food to organisations helping those in need who might otherwise go hungry.

However other grocers, such as Tesco, do donate some surplus to organisations such as Tressell Trust.

Morrisons’ initiative follows a pilot in its Yorkshire heartland and the Northeast involving 112 stores, The Times reported.

Morrisons head of corporate responsibility Stephen Butts said: “The challenge is finding the right community partners to work with. What we have available will vary.”

“Ideally we are looking for groups that can cook the food, meaning they can blend it [with food from other sources].”

The programme will implemented nationwide.

A dedicated staff member in each of Morrisons’ stores will take responsibility for working with local partners.

It is estimated that about 15 million tonnes of food is wasted in the UK each year.

Topics