A survey by supermarket giant Aldi has found that Munster shoppers threw away almost €365 worth of food during the Covid-19 lockdowns.
Just over one-third of Irish adults said they bought more food during the lockdowns, with one in three of those saying they wasted or threw out more food during those times.
At the same time, three out of every 10 adults said they knew 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 findings comes as Aldi launches its 2021 Food for Good campaign, where shoppers can buy and leave food donations in their local store.
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 in 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.”
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
