ALDI has helped to deliver more than 18,200 meals to people in need across Merseyside over the Easter period by donating surplus food from stores across the UK, helping to support families that might otherwise struggle with the extra cost of Easter celebrations and feeding children during the school break.

Working with local charities and community groups through its long-standing partnership with Neighbourly, the discounter redistributes fresh and chilled food from its stores to those who need it most, with donations made over Easter helping to make sure all families can come together to enjoy festivities regardless of financial circumstances.

This forms part of Aldi’s nationwide food donation programme, which pairs every UK store with a local charity or community group to ensure surplus food is put to good use all year round.

More than 710,000 meals were donated throughout the UK over the recent school holidays, with more than 70 groups in Merseyside benefiting from the initiative.

The latest figures build on Aldi’s long-term partnership with Neighbourly, which has enabled the delivery of the equivalent of more than 50 million meals since 2019.  

Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said:- “We know the school holidays can put real pressure on families who may already be struggling – especially when it comes to putting food on the table. By working with Neighbourly, we can ensure good food reaches families who need it, rather than going to waste. That’s food on people’s plates that might otherwise have been missed. And for those who are able to, picking up an extra item to donate in store can make a real difference to local communities.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO of Neighbourly, said:- “Aldi’s commitment means local charities and community groups can rely on regular food donations to support people in their communities. For many of these organisations, that consistent support is vital - helping them provide food day in, day out.”

In addition, Aldi also works with partners including Company Shop Group, another distributor of surplus food and household products, to redistribute surplus stock from its Regional Distribution Centres, to support households across the UK.

The supermarket also recently expanded its partnership with The Bread and Butter Thing, enabling suppliers across the UK to donate products that cannot be sold in stores, such as items with packaging damage or labelling errors, but are still perfectly good to eat.