Lidl has announced a new scheme to help the rising numbers of people relying on food banks to get the varied diet they need.

The supermarket has launched an industry first scheme intended to diversify and increase food donations in the UK.

Its Good to Give trustmark launched on Thursday, and shoppers looking to donate to foodbanks can find the trustmark on shelves at all Lidl stores.

The signage will highlight carefully selected long-life items that offer a greater variety of nutritional benefits, and which can be dropped at food donation points located past the checkouts in Lidl stores. 

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The items will then be collected regularly by local food banks and community projects.

This intervention comes in response to the cost-of-living crisis, with over 9 in 10 charities believing that it will have a significant impact on their organisation and the communities that they serve.

Through the partnership with Neighbourly, Lidl has identified 30 food items that are ‘Good to Give’, modelled on the NHS Eatwell Guide. The products selected include tinned fruit, lentils, mackerel, noodles, and brown rice.

The launch is an industry first and forms part of Lidl’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that good food is accessible to everyone, especially at a time of financial uncertainty.

Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer at Lidl GB, said: “At Lidl, we’re committed to making good food accessible to everyone and now, more than ever, it’s important that we stay true to this.

“We hope that more retailers will adopt the ‘Trustmark’ so that we can work together as an industry to help more people access the balanced and nutritious diet that they need.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO at Neighbourly, added: "Through our work with local charities and good causes, supported by our latest community insights surveys, we can see how the cost-of-living crisis is causing steep rises in demand for food banks and front-line services.

“This is only going to increase in the coming months. With the launch of this new initiative, Lidl is demonstrating that they are truly committed to finding innovative ways to support their customers and local communities.”

Alongside the trustmark, Lidl has launched its £500,000 ‘Lidl Community Fund’ to support of its UK network of 1,500 charities coordinated by Neighbourly.

Organisations within Lidl’s network can apply on a quarterly basis for investment in refurbishment of food preparation or food serving areas, improvement of food storage capabilities and direct access to food products.