Portsmouth Tesco set to give unsold food to charities

The city is part of a major scheme the grocery giant hopes will mean no food will be thrown away by next year.

And in a separate move, wonky vegetables will be sold at discount prices in a bid to encourage shoppers to buy them.

The retailer’s latest figures show 55,400 tonnes of food were thrown away at its stores and distribution centres in the UK last year, of which around 30,000 tonnes could otherwise have been eaten - equivalent to around 70 million meals.

The plan is a nationwide roll-out of a 14-store pilot called the Community Food Connection, which over the last six months has generated more than 22 tonnes of food, the equivalent of 50,000 meals.

It operates by using a digital open platform called FareShare FoodCloud that allows store staff and charities to liaise to distribute surplus food.

Tesco and FareShare are appealing for 5,000 charities and community groups to join up and receive the food.

Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said: ‘We believe no food that could be eaten should be wasted. That’s why we have committed that no surplus food should go to waste from our stores.

‘We know it’s an issue our customers really care about, and wherever there’s surplus food at Tesco stores, we’re committed to donating it to local charities so we can help feed people in need.’