Morrisons has pledged £10m worth of stock to food banks across the country by the end of July to help them restock during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Morrisons community champion initiative, which consists of in-store colleagues who work with local communities, will be sending deliveries of ambient food, such as canned goods and pasta, to its stores to also give to their local food bank.

The supermarket also said that its fruit, vegetable, bakery and egg packing site will be running for an extra hour each day to help restock the food banks. 

Since the outbreak, Morrisons says that there has been a 40% reduction in donation to community food banks across the country, at a time when most are seeing demand for their services increase.

“We know food banks are finding life very difficult and running our manufacturing sites for an extra hour each day to help restock them is the right decision at this time.”

Morrisons is also encouraging customers to donate to food banks by upping the purchase limit on certain products from three to four, and removing the limit altogether on certain food items.

The retailer will create ‘local’ drop off points for customers to donate products to those in need and donation hubs in Morrisons’ recently repurposed in-store cafes will collect these additional products for their local food banks. 

David Potts, CEO of Morrisons said: “As a food maker and shopkeeper we are uniquely placed to help. We know food banks are finding life very difficult and running our manufacturing sites for an extra hour each day to help restock them is the right decision at this time.

“The core purpose of all 96,537 colleagues at Morrisons is to play our full part in feeding the nation. #ItsMoreThanOurJob.”