Amid the Covid-19 crisis, an unlikely set of heroes are emerging in a highly politicized row over how best to feed children from hard-up families during the U.K. school vacations.
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So how has the beleaguered F&B world galvanized itself to come to the rescue?
Controversy has been simmering ever since Manchester United and England striker Marcus Rashford – himself with a back story of poverty-forced childhood hunger - called out the U.K. government during the summer vacations, prompting a U-turn on the provision of a holiday replacement for free school meals.
And this past Saturday, after competing in a goalless draw with Premier League rivals Chelsea, the Manchester United striker was straight back at his computer, galvanizing dozens more mom & pop cafes, churches, restaurants and individuals to pledge to donate free food during the current one-week school break. He is also urging the U.K. government to fund free meals during school vacations until Easter 2021, despite a Parliamentary vote last week that declined to step in.
Unsurprisingly, a young England footballer leading the charge from sportsman to statesman has captured the headlines, especially given that Premier League players are more often cast as villains for having the audacity to earn fortunes at a young age. But even at its lowest ebb, the restaurant sector has been quick to follow.
McDonald’s backs Rashford's call to feed those in need
Chief among them has been fast food giant McDonald’s, which has pledged the equivalent of one million free meals through a tie-up with charity FareShare.
Paul Pomroy, CEO of McDonald’s U.K. & Ireland, said of the move: “As a business we are committed to supporting and serving the communities in which we operate. In these challenging times, we know it’s more important than ever to support those most in need.”
U.K. supermarket group Co-op will provide 1,000 free food vouchers this week, while via its website market leader Tesco is enabling customers to donate their Clubcard points – normally redeemed for money off – to FareShare, in addition to its wider food poverty program.
Indeed, the Covid-19 pandemic has left an estimated 80% of Britain’s low-income families in a worse financial position than before the crisis. Between April 1 last year and March 31 2020, food bank charity The Trussell Trust distributed 1.9 million three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, an 18% uptick over the previous year. And that only factored in the early stages of the pandemic.
The Trussell Trust operates around 1,200 of the U.K.'s 2,000-plus food banks - locations providing emergency food parcels to those in need - with some of the biggest supermarkets forging food bank partnerships. Tesco has been working with The Trussell Trust since 2012 and provided top-up food donations of £15 million over a 12-week period at the height of the lockdown.
Rival Sainsbury’s has expanded its work, most recently in partnership with FareShare, whereby since August customers have been able make an online donation to the food waste charity as part of their regular shop. Discounters Lidl and Aldi also donate meals via their own schemes.
Taskforce and food waste apps drive change
To keep up momentum, the charismatic Rashford has established a taskforce with a wide range of brands including Tesco, Aldi, Deliveroo and Kellogg’s
In tandem, there are an increasing number of eco-inspired businesses that are looking to reduce food waste by connecting people with excess inventory, from U.K. food sharing app Olio to Scandinavian-based Too Good To Go, which connects restaurants and cafes that have unwanted food at the end of the trading day with customers willing to collect. The company recently launched its first U.S. operation in New York.
Meantime, the U.K. government is coming under growing pressure as Rashford, retail and restaurants threaten to embarrass a beleaguered administration that, in pushing back on the initiative, may just have bitten off more than it can chew.