LIDL EXPANDS ‘GOOD TO GIVE’ TRUSTMARK AS CHARITIES’ DEMAND FOR HYGIENE PRODUCTS SOAR

• Seven months after introducing its industry-leading 'Good To Give' trustmark, Lidl GB expands the initiative to include hygiene products
• Move comes after the retailer saw customer food donations increase by an estimated 25% since launch, and charities report a rise in demand for toiletries 
• Lidl GB will also provide a total of £50,000 to hygiene banks and local charities

Monday 13th February: Lidl GB has today announced that it will expand its industry-leading Good to Give initiative to now include hygiene products.

The retailer originally launched the scheme in partnership with Neighbourly last year to help diversify and increase food bank donations in Great Britain. This new move follows research revealing that demand for toiletries has is soaring alongside food, with 72% of local charities reporting a need for both of these categories as being most vital to support communities through the cost of living crisis.*

Since introducing the Good to Give trustmark seven months ago, Lidl has seen in-store customer food donations for local charities increase by an estimated 25% – the equivalent to over 250,000 additional meals donated between June and December 2022. This vital support from customers contributed to Lidl donating a total of over six million meals in 2022, including both donations and food surplus.

From 16th March shoppers will be able to spot the Good to Give signage on price tickets for 10 essential sanitary and personal care items, including tampons, toothpaste and nappies. These can be dropped at existing donation points located past the checkouts in all Lidl GB stores and will be collected by charity volunteers who already come to pick up food donations weekly.

Lidl is also providing £50,000 worth of grants for local organisations working to tackle hygiene poverty in their communities, within its network coordinated by Neighbourly. The funding will help these good causes continue to make key items like period products, shower gel, and toothpaste available to those in need as demand soars.

Mark Newbold, Senior CSR Manager at Lidl GB, said: “With the cost of living crisis continuing to put pressure on local communities, we want to go beyond our commitment to making good food accessible to everyone by looking at other support we can provide.

“Hygiene poverty is the daily reality for over 3.2 million adults in this country, and our charity partners working day in day out with those in need have told us that the problem is only growing. We hope that by providing grants and encouraging our customers to once again donate a little differently, we can get more local charities more of these basic yet vital products.”

ENDS

Reference points

*Research conducted by Neighbourly in October 2022, with 1,370 Local Good Causes in the UK and Ireland responding on their most needed products: 

• 72% selected toiletries
• 72% selected food of any type
• 65% reported cleaning/laundry products
• 50% reported sanitary items 

**This figure was calculated based on a sample of Lidl GB’s customer food donation point data.

A report published by The Hygiene Bank in Oct 2022 highlighted the issues surrounding people’s struggle to buy basic items such as soap and deodorant, and how this is having a devastating effect on their daily lives. 3.2 million UK adults are affected by hygiene poverty - with 12% saying that they have avoided going to work and facing colleagues as a result.

Good to Give

Lidl’s Good to Give trustmark was launched in June 2022 to help guide customers to food and drink products that can help those who access food banks to have a more varied, balanced diet. In addition to the Good to Give customer donation points in store, Lidl GB donates store food surplus at a local level through its nationwide food distribution network, Feed it Back, which launched in partnership with Neighbourly in 2017. Lidl GB also donates surplus through its regional distribution centres and head office via a variety of local and national partners.

From 16th March, the ‘Good to Give’ trustmark will be indicated on product price tickets and in-store signage (including shelves and posters) for x10 hygiene products.

 The full list of Good To Give hygiene items is:

• Cien Kids 2in1 Shampoo
• Assorted Cien Herbal Shampoo
• Assorted Cien Shower Gel
• Cien Handwash
• Cien Antibacterial Hand Gel 
• Assorted Classic Dentalux Toothbrush
• Dentalux Toothpaste Sensitive/Total Care
• Assorted Dentalux Mouthwash 
• Lupilu Junior Nappies Size 5
• Tampax Compak

For more information, please contact: lidl@wearetheromans.com  

About Lidl GB

Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl GB has experienced continuous growth and today has over 28,000 employees, over 950 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. The supermarket, which has more than 360,000 employees globally, currently operates approximately 12,000 stores and more than 200 warehouses and distribution centres in 31 countries.

The 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, which operates worldwide as a retail group, generated a turnover of €133.6 billion in the financial year 2021.

For more information about Lidl GB visit: https://corporate.lidl.co.uk/