SPAR has launched its ‘Giving One Million Meals’ partnership with FareShare, the UK’s biggest charity fighting hunger and tackling food waste.
“We understand how important it is to have the cupboard essentials you need to hand and it’s really interesting to see how our essentials have changed over the years and which are still our firm favourites. Our partnership with FareShare will see £250,000 donated, and for every £1 given FareShare can redistribute enough food for the equivalent of four meals to people in need across the UK.”
Suzanne Dover, Brand & Marketing Director of community retailer SPAR UK
Across the UK, there are thousands of neighbourhoods, often with a SPAR at their heart. SPAR, like FareShare, believes in nurturing the neighbourhood and supporting the communities they serve. That’s why SPAR has pledged a generous £250,000 to FareShare, enabling the redistribution of 1 million meals worth of surplus food to our network of 8,500 local charities and community groups.
To launch the campaign, SPAR has commissioned new research to discover how British food essentials have changed over time, as well as attitudes towards food waste and helping those experiencing food insecurity.
The study of 2,000 adults revealed that our cupboards are now home to staples that few would have heard of in 1980, including couscous, harissa and coconut milk. Corned beef, condensed milk and SPAM have been phased out in favour of soy sauce, and balsamic vinegar is now considered an essential ingredient by one quarter of households.
But some cupboard essentials have stood the test of time. For the past 40 years, British households have continued to stock up on baked beans, biscuits and tinned soup. Chopped tomatoes remain a staple for 50% of Brits, alongside tinned tuna (45%) and lentils (22%). Click below to read more about the results of the study.
More than half admitted worrying about throwing away or wasting staple foodstuffs, with 51% worrying about how much more expensive food is now. Eight out of 10 said that they were likely to save cooked food and use leftovers, rather than throw them away.
SPAR UK is not alone in recognising the importance of supporting the community. The study found that nearly half of Brits have donated to food banks and charities, with 19% donating more to food banks in recent years to help with the cost of living crisis. But with the need for food support services increasing, charities and community groups are under immense pressure to meet this demand.
Polly Bianchi, Director of Fundraising at FareShare, commented: “The Giving One Million Meals donation from SPAR, with contributions from Coca-Cola and Robinsons, will make a significant contribution to our work getting good-to-eat food, which might otherwise go to waste, to people who need it.
“As the winter months approach, our network of 8,500 charities across the UK will be working hard to provide hearty, nourishing meals for people in their communities.
“Each group provides vital wraparound services to support people impacted by the cost of living crisis and the contribution made by SPAR will go a long way to strengthening those communities.”
FareShare believes no one should go hungry and is excited to be working with SPAR as part of the ‘Giving One Million Meals” project, which will enable us to reach more people this winter.
Suzanne Dover added: “We believe in supporting the communities we serve, and this partnership means that people won’t have to go without the staples we all use each day.”
Find out more about SPAR’s ‘Giving One Million Meals’ campaign.
