Store launches new food waste scheme in Midlothian

A leading Midlothian supermarket is joining forces with a food waste charity to offer unsold food to vulnerable people in the community.

Tesco staff Lee-Anne Wilkinson, Rory Smith, Adam Campbell and Fareshare Foodcloud co-ordinator Rachel McLean

Tesco stores at Dalkeith and Penicuik and Fareshare are calling on charities and community groups in the county to register for the scheme.

As part of its pledge to cut food waste, Tesco’s Community Food Connection programme with FareShare FoodCloud recruits and supports charities and community groups, linking them to Tesco stores via an app.

This allows store teams to alert them to surplus unsold food items available at the end of each day.

The unsold food is free and includes fresh produce, such as fruit, vegetables and bakery products. Chilled products like meat, dairy and ready meals are also offered.

FareShare FoodCloud is the result of a three-way partnership bringing the charity, social enterprise and commercial sectors together. FareShare brings its knowledge of the UK charity food redistribution market and its experience of providing food. FoodCloud brings its knowledge of the technology and online applications and Tesco brings the people and technology required to deliver a well-managed programme.

Lee-Anne Wilkinson, customer experience manager and group champion for central and south east Scotland region, said: “No food that can be eaten should go to waste. We’re really excited to start working on this initiative to ensure that any unsold food we have is made use of.

“We are looking forward to forging strong links with local charities and community groups and to use this initiative to support their efforts to help vulnerable people in our community.”

FareShare FoodCloud is the latest step in Tesco’s work with FareShare on the provision of surplus food.

The partnership spans over three years and includes activities which make food available from the Tesco supply chain, distribution centres and dotcom centres. This has seen nine million meals made up of surplus food donated to over 2,200 charities and community groups across the UK.

The Tesco stores in Hardengreen, Dalkeith, and Edinburgh Road, Penicuik, are amongst some of the first groups of Tesco stores to roll out the initiative.

Midlothian Foodbank manager Janice Burns welcomed the initiative. “I think this is great. It is fantastic. It saves on waste. It can only be a help.”

Any charities or community groups in Midlothian using food to support people can register their interest by visiting www.fareshare.org.uk/fareshare-foodcloud