Heswall Aldi is one of the supermarket chain’s seven Wirral stores now donating surplus food directly to local groups that redistribute supplies to vulnerable people in the area.
These include community café Neo Café and Home Start Wirral, which provides support for young families living locally.
The new partnerships follow on from a successful trial between the supermarket and community engagement platform, Neighbourly. Along with Heswall, Aldi has paired up its stores in Prenton, Moreton, West Kirby, Bebington, Wallasey and Bromborough with local good causes that are now collecting surplus food up to five days a week.
Each store is donating perishable items such as fresh fruit and veg, long life items and baked goods.
The trial began in January 2019, and following its success, was rolled out across Aldi’s entire store estate.
Last year the supermarket donated two million meals to charity and expects to increase this by 50 per cent now the trial has been extended to its 827 stores.
Fritz Walleczek, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “We’re always looking for new and creative ways to increase the amount of food we are able to donate. This partnership is enabling us to distribute even more surplus stock, while supporting a vast range of good causes across Merseyside.
“Our aim is for fresh, healthy food to be accessible for everyone, and Neighbourly are helping us to extend this commitment beyond our affordable range of fresh products.”
Neighbourly’s CEO, Steve Butterworth, added: “We are delighted to be partnering with Aldi on this programme and to help them realise their ambition to benefit those communities local to each and every one of their stores across the UK. Food surplus is a challenge Aldi is committed to playing its part to address. This approach is critical to ensure surplus food finds its way easily to the good causes supporting those communities that need it most.”
Any local charities in our area looking to partner up with an Aldi store should email aldi@neighbourly.com to apply.
';
