Published 3 April 2020
Food surplus redistribution organisations across England will receive £3.25 million of government funding to help them cut food waste and redistribute up to 14,000 tonnes of surplus stock during the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak.
Funds will be allocated to help overcome operational barriers in obtaining, storing and transporting food safely from restaurants as they close in response to coronavirus; and to help overcome drops in volunteer numbers.
Food redistribution businesses and charities will be encouraged to bid for grants over the coming month, including those whose volunteer programmes have been affected by social distancing measures or those that cannot access their usual commercial support network.
This funding comes as the government continues to engage with the food industry to ensure the nation is fed, and people across the UK are supported in getting the food and groceries they need.
The government has also temporarily relaxed competition law to allow supermarkets to share data with each other on stock levels, co-operate to keep shops open and share distribution depots and delivery vans.
Application windows for the government fund will be split in to three phases. For more information click here.
Coronavirus Food Alert: Sustain's work on food resilience in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.We are helping secure food for vulnerable people and supporting local emergency responses.