Sainsbury’s launches new initiative to tackle food poverty

Sainsbury’s has announced that it will donate 50p from every product sold in the ‘Inspired to Cook’ range to Comic Relief between now and 11 July, as part of the retailer’s ‘Nourish the Nation’ initiative to help tackle food poverty. Every 50p donated by the supermarket chain will fund the provision of healthy food to families who are struggling in the UK via the Comic Relief-backed initiative. Over the span of this six-week donation drive, the retailer will have contributed at least £3m to the Nourish the Nation programme to tackle food insecurity and ensure communities have improved access to balanced and nutritional food they need in the UK and around the world. According to Sainsbury’s, its Inspired to Cook range is designed to help customers cook “easy and enjoyable” home meals and consists of over 200 different products, including condiments, fresh herb mixes and easy sauces for simple home cooking. The retailer first started the Nourish the Nation programme last November with a £1.5m donation to Comic Relief, Fareshare and other key redistribution partners to support those in need. It also pledged to match customers’ donations up to £1.5m. The initiative, which builds on the retailer’s partnership with Comic Relief, supports organisations such as Feeding Britain and The Bread and Butter Thing in their work to help alleviate food poverty in communities across the country. Ruth Cranston, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at Sainsbury’s, said: “We are so proud to see the positive impact that the Nourish the Nation programme has achieved so far, but we are also aware of the growing demand for accessible community food services up and down the country. “It is important that we continue to find new ways we can support those facing food poverty now and in the future. Through Nourish the Nation, we are committed to ensuring the communities we serve have access to balanced, nutritional, and sustainable food sources.” Samir Patel, CEO of Comic Relief, added: “Right now, communities need our support more than ever as millions of people across the country continue to face the most difficult times in their lives due to rising costs of living. “We are hugely grateful to Sainsbury’s for their support in helping us reach more people struggling with access to food at this crucial time, here in the UK and internationally.”