Shoppers threw away €365 in food during lockdowns

A new study conducted by Coyne Research on behalf of Aldi has found that shoppers in Westmeath and the rest of Leinster (excluding Dublin) threw away almost €365 worth of food each during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

A third of Irish adults (36%) bought more food during the lockdowns, with one in three of these adults stating they wasted or threw out more food during lockdown restrictions compared to ‘normal’ pre-pandemic times.

Despite food wastage increasing nationwide, three out of 10 adults reported knowing someone who struggled to buy food, had to make sacrifices to pay for food, or had to avail of a food bank during the lockdowns.

The study reflects FoodCloud’s experience, witnessing a huge surge in demand for its surplus food redistribution services since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. FoodCloud saw demand dramatically increase, almost doubling whilst some charities had to reduce or limit services. Between March 2020 and August 2021, charities sought 53% more food donations compared to the previous 18 months, with 4822 tonnes of food, equating to 11.5 million meals, distributed through retail partners and FoodCloud hubs during this time.

To help combat the heightened pressure on FoodCloud’s services, Aldi is launching its 2021 Food for Good campaign, whereby Leinster shoppers can buy and leave food donations in their local Aldi store, which will be collected and distributed to local charities by FoodCloud.

Starting on Monday, 4th October to Sunday, 10th October, Aldi shoppers can donate an extra non-perishable food item to one of the specially designed ‘Food for Good’ drop-off points that will be appearing across Aldi’s 148 stores nationwide.

Announcing the Food for Good campaign, Aldi Group Buying Director John Curtin, said: “It is clear from our survey and FoodCloud’s experience that Covid-19 has exacerbated the issues of food waste and food insecurity. Aldi was the first retailer to donate non-surplus food to FoodCloud at the height of the pandemic and is committed to playing its role in continuing to support FoodCloud to combat these problems through Food for Good.”

“We are asking Aldi shoppers to help us by making a donation at our stores. The food donated will be distributed to over 233 partner charities across Ireland, making sure it helps those most in need.”

Commenting, Aoibheann O’Brien, FoodCloud Co-Founder and Partnerships Director added: “This study has highlighted that food waste was an issue in homes across the country in 2020. Wasting good food has a negative impact on both the climate and our pockets. We should look to avoid all food wastage where possible when we think that 3 in 10 within our communities are struggling to access food. It is great to see campaigns like Food for Good supporting both the message of food waste reduction and highlighting that there are those facing food insecurity, as it is a problem that has been hidden with the pandemic and one that sadly has the potential to increase with the cessation of government employment payments.”

The following non-perishable items are requested as donations for the 2021 Food for Good campaign:

Cereals

Porridge Oats

Cooking Sauces

Instant Coffee

Teabags

Pasta

Rice

Canned Food

Sweet Treats

Soft Drinks