TEAM UP TO TACKLE HUNGER: LIDL LAUNCHES NEW SCHEME TO ENABLE SHOPPERS TO DONATE FOOD WITH JUST THE SCAN OF A BARCODE

• In a retailer first, Lidl's 'Teaming up to Tackle Hunger' scheme will allow customers to donate directly to their local community at the till - and Lidl will match every donation
• Customers can give between 35p and £2.45 by simply scanning a flyer that represents essential food items such as milk, tuna or cereal
• Announcement comes as Lidl surpasses over 6 million meal donations to over 2,220 local charities
• As part of the programme Lidl aims to double the amount of meals donated to local charities from 2.5m to 5m every year.

5th NOVEMBER, LONDON  –  Lidl has today revealed its new 'Teaming up to Tackle Hunger' scheme which will make it easier for customers to donate directly to their local community - and the retailer will match every donation made.

Between 12th November and 9th December, customers can simply scan a flyer when they pay for their shopping to donate one of 5 essential food items to their local communities - tuna, cereal, chopped tomatoes, milk and rice. Each donation will then be matched by Lidl and sent directly to the store's local food partner.

The initiative forms part of Lidl’s ongoing partnership with Neighbourly, which has seen Lidl donate over 6 million meals to an existing network of 2,220 local charities. 

Each donation, both by customers and Lidl, directly supports good causes within communities across the UK making it easier than ever for customers and local stores to make a positive long term difference in their area.  Customers are able to find out which local cause a store supports via in store posters.

Lidl worked closely with Neighbourly on the scheme to understand which essential items would benefit to local communities the most.

Christian Härtnagel, CEO at Lidl GB commented: “It remains an extremely challenging time for families and communities across the UK, which is why we are making it easier for customers to donate directly to local good causes simply  by picking up and scanning the donation flyers at the checkout. Our hope is that by offering donation flyers in store that we can give our customers the chance to make a real difference and help those that need it the most. Now more than ever it is vital that we support communities in any way that we can.”

Steve Butterworth, CEO at Neighbourly, added: "We're pleased to be able to support Lidl as they roll out this new initiative. Since early 2020, requests for help from local charities and food banks have more than doubled, so it is really important that we can continue to support isolated and vulnerable members of the community with food and basic essentials. By scanning one of the donation flyers as part of their weekly shop, customers will be making a huge difference to someone in their community during what can be a tough time of year for many people.

Lidl has run its ‘Feed it Back’ scheme in partnership with Neighbourly since 2017, which enables the retailer to distribute unsold surplus food to local communities. The retailer has also installed permanent food collection points across all UK stores, as well as having launched a new fund, to which Lidl and its customers can donate directly to support local causes. 

Any community projects that are interested in partnering with a Lidl store for ongoing food surplus donation can visit www.neighbourly.com/FeedItBack or email lidl@neighbourly.com.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors

About Lidl GB

Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl has experienced continuous growth and today has over 24,500 employees, 800 stores and 13 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales. As part of the Schwarz retail group, Lidl is one of Europe’s leading organisations in the food retail industry. With a presence in 32 countries around the world, the supermarket, which has more than 287,000 employees globally, currently operates approximately 10,800 stores and more than 160 distribution centres in 29 countries globally. The family supermarket takes pride in providing its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices throughout Great Britain, from Kirkwall to the Isle of Wight. Social responsibility and sustainability are at the core of the company's daily operations, with the company placing a strong emphasis on its responsibility for people, society and the environment. Lidl GB is passionate about working with British producers and sources two thirds of its products from British suppliers.
The Schwarz Group (Kaufland, Lidl) has been Europe's largest food retailer since 2014 and generated a turnover of €104.3 billion in financial year 2018.
For more information about Lidl GB visit https://corporate.lidl.co.uk/