TESCO stores across Bolton have donated 3,427 meals to local people in need thanks to their surplus food redistribution programme.

This contribution from stores in Bolton has helped the programme reach its first milestone of a million meals of surplus food donated by Tesco stores nationwide.

The programme sees Tesco stores across the UK donating their unsold food to local charities and community groups for free.

Tesco in Bolton launched the programme in July and has been working closely with food redistribution charity FareShare, and local charities.

Part of Tesco’s ongoing pledge to cut food waste, Community Food Connection links local charities and community groups to Tesco stores via an app that allows store teams to let local charities know there is unsold food available at the end of each day.

The unsold food is provided to the charities free of charge, and includes fresh produce, such as fruit, vegetables and bakery products.

Chilled products like meat, dairy and ready meals are also offered.

To date, 2,000 charities and community groups have signed up to the programme and the equivalent of a million meals of surplus food has been donated to good causes right across the UK.

It is part of the Community Food Connection, in partnership with FareShare FoodCloud.

Rifka Chakkalakal, community food programmes manager at Tesco, said: “We are delighted to see Bolton contribute a fantastic 3,427 meals of surplus food to people in need.

“We believe that no food that could be eaten should go to waste, so we are excited to continue to grow this initiative.

“That is why we are looking for even more charities and community groups to come forward to register for the programme. If you serve food to people in need in your community, we want to hear from you.”

FareShare FoodCloud is the latest step in Tesco’s work with FareShare on the provision of surplus food. The partnership spans three years and includes activities which make food available from the Tesco supply chain, distribution centres and dotcom centres as well as supporting FareShare and food-bank charity The Trussell Trust with in-store donation initiatives including the Neighbourhood Food Collection.

Any charities or community groups that are interested in joining the programme should visit fareshare.org.uk/fareshare-foodcloud.