Tesco launches £30m coronavirus community support package

The supermarket giant revealed plans to ramp up its work with charities that are “really under pressure” during the health emergency.

Tesco’s £30m pledge will include £15m of food donations to FareShare and the Trussell Trust over the next 12 weeks. Ambient and fresh groceries will then be distributed to local community groups and food banks.

The grocer will also donate £1m to each of those to organisations to support their operations.

Tesco will dish out £2m from its existing Bags of Help community donation scheme to charities helping “the most vulnerable” members of society through the health emergency.

A further £2m will be given to the British Red Cross, while Tesco stores will have access to a combined £1m kitty to distribute to causes in their neighbourhoods.

Tesco already donates £3m of food a month through its Community Food Connection scheme, which it will continue to do during the pandemic, bringing the total package to £30m after 12 weeks.

Tesco boss Dave Lewis said: “Our stores are at the heart of the communities we serve and as well as supporting our customers and colleagues, we want to help those who need it most, locally.

“We will significantly boost our food donations programme working with FareShare and Trussell Trust, continue our support for the incredible work of the British Red Cross and also refocus our Bags of Help scheme to support grassroots community groups helping vulnerable people at this difficult time.”

Tesco’s move is the latest in a line of pledges from businesses to charities and communities as the industry rallies to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

Retail Week has joined forces with retailTRUST and the British Retail Consortium to raise £10m for retail workers who are facing financial distress as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Morrisons said yesterday that it plans to donate £10m of food to food banks across the UK, while Asda is donating £5m to food banks and community charities.

The John Lewis Partnership has launched a £1m community support fund, which is being distributed by Waitrose shops, and the Co-op is donating £1.5m of food to FareShare in just some of the other initiatives launched to-date.