Aldi stores across the Lothians donate more than 14,000 meals over school holiday

The scheme helps charities to help those most in need.

All of the company’s stores across the region supported local charities and foodbanks during a period of increased demand by redistributing surplus food via community giving platform Neighbourly.

Since Aldi’s partnership with Neighbourly began in 2019, its stores across the country have already donated more than 35 million meals - including over seven million meals so far this year.

This summer, Aldi also gave every child in the UK a chance to try an Olympic or Paralympic sport for free as part of its ‘Get a Taste for Sport’ initiative, helping parents meet the cost of providing healthy activities during the summer holidays.

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “The school holidays are always an incredibly hard time for households across the country, made even worse by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis. That’s why we committed to supporting even more families in Edinburgh and the Lothians this summer via our food donations scheme with Neighbourly, helping vital charities provide meals to those who need them most.”

Neighbourly is an award-winning organisation that helps businesses make a positive impact in their communities by donating volunteer time, money and surplus products to local good causes.

Its aim is to take the uncertainty out of doing good by matching what resources are available to where they are needed the most.

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “Demand on charities and foodbanks in Edinburgh and the Lothians is incredibly high.

"This push in donations from Aldi was essential in helping so many families during the school holidays and we know how grateful the organisations were for the supermarket’s support.”

Shoppers can also donate food to local charities, food banks and community groups via the community donation points in Aldi stores nationwide.

On the wider scale, Britain’s fourth largest supermarket also works with Company Shop, the UK’s leading redistributor of surplus food and household products, to redistribute surplus food from its Regional Distribution Centres to Community Shops around the country.