Foodback collection point set up at Shrewsbury supermarket

The collection point is available at the Tesco Extra store, at the Cattle Market, Battlefield Road – and the firm will top up customer donations by an additional 20 per cent in the form of a cash donation to the charity.

Simone Connolly, Director at FareShare Midlands, said: “Tesco is really leading the way by enabling their customers to donate food to local vulnerable communities via collection points in their stores.

"By introducing even more permanent collection points for FareShare in stores across the UK, there are more opportunities for Tesco customers to make a donation of a food item where they are able to. In the last year, generous Tesco customers donated the equivalent of one million meals to FareShare, and I’d like to thank every single person for their support.

“The store cupboard essential items donated through the collection points, such as tinned meat, fish and pasta, are always needed. Those donations mean that we have a consistent supply of food, which we have been able to redistribute to our network of charities and community organisations supporting those most in need.”

Tesco’s Head of Community Claire de Silva said: “Covid-19 has placed huge demands on food charities. FareShare has been supporting 12,000 frontline charity and community groups, while food banks in the Trussell Trust network provided a record 1.2 million food parcels during the first six months of the pandemic.

“We know that our customers want to help and by installing the new donation points it means all our customers can now easily donate food year-round.”