Before Covid-19, an estimated 3 million children in the UK were at risk of going hungry over the summer holidays. It is a particularly trying time for many parents who must stretch budgets to cover extra childcare costs and provide meals usually taken care of at school.

This sobering number will have only grown as a result of the pandemic and the economic consequences of lockdown, with thousands already struggling with reduced wages or redundancy.

Recent research from community engagement network Neighbourly predicts dependency on charities and food banks will increase during the rest of the year as people come to terms with the reality of post-coronavirus Britain. 

Its poll of 1,000 charities found that almost three-quarters (71%) said they expect the number of people they support to rise in the next six to 12 months.

“Supporting food banks and working with the government to provide free meals is a central part of the social contract we hold with the communities we serve”

At the mid-point of the school break, thousands of families across the country face a perfect storm of financial hardship and need our help. The grocery sector has the ability – and a duty – to step up.

Aldi’s role in the community is very close to my heart, as I’m sure it is for many bricks-and-mortar retail CEOs. I firmly believe a town is better off with an Aldi in it and the access to affordable, quality food we bring. That belief is a huge part of our drive to expand into more areas of the country and bring affordable groceries to even more customers. 

However, living near a low-priced supermarket isn’t going to be enough for the most vulnerable families, particularly over the summer holidays.

Since the start of lockdown, Aldi alone has donated more than 3 million meals to food banks through Neighbourly. That is just a snapshot of the wider issue and the work of Neighbourly and its network of community charities is more vital than ever as more and more families rely on their support.

Not only do organisations like Neighbourly help the most vulnerable in our society, together with partners such as Aldi, their work also helps to tackle the important issue of food waste. WRAP estimated that in 2018 the UK threw away 9.5 million tonnes of food with 3% of this coming from the retail sector. It is crucial that retailers play their part in reducing the amount of food that goes to waste.

Answer the call

For parents, feeding their children is only one part of the problem. Many of them must balance the kids being at home for the holidays while still having to work – especially true now as more people are heading back to their usual workplaces.

This was the thinking behind our ‘Holiday Kit’ scheme developed in partnership with Neighbourly and Team GB.

Through this initiative, we have provided some of the most financially vulnerable families in the country with games, books and outdoor activities to keep children active over the holidays. The kits also contain recipes for nutritious meals and vouchers parents can use to get ingredients for free at Aldi.

I hope this will go some way to helping those families cope with the added pressure the summer holidays bring, but we also acknowledge it won’t solve the problem on its own.

Covid-19 has clearly demonstrated the vital role supermarkets must play – I believe supporting food banks and working with the government to provide free meals is a central part of the social contract we hold with the communities we serve.

The country is tentatively starting to open up again but the recovery needs to support the families most acutely affected by the pandemic’s economic repercussions.

As retailers, we would be nothing without the families and communities that shop in our stores. At a time when some of our customers need our help more than ever, it is our responsibility to answer the call.