Sainsbury’s has announced that its ongoing charity partnership with Newlife, a resale and recycling organisation, will be rolling out across the UK following a successful trial.
Items from the supermarket’s Tu clothing range that are unfit for resale will be recycled and resold by Newlife across one of their nine UK stores, with the funds going on to support 1.1 million disabled and terminally ill children.
The money raised will help fund sensory play equipment, grants for disability equipment and emergency loan equipment for families.
“We are so pleased that our trial with Sainsbury’s went well and that the new partnership will be rolled out to all Sainsbury’s stores on a long term basis. By working together we are making a huge difference to the planet and people and it means we can help more families in need,” Newlife’s operations director Stephen Morgan said.
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The partnership which first began in 2019 has since seen 65.5 tonnes of unsellable clothing returns or faulty items donated to the charity.
Any items unable to be resold by Newlife will be broken down into raw materials and reused or recycled for other purposes such as car insulation and dog bed stuffing.
The expansion of this partnership to all supermarkets also supports Sainsbury’s Plan for Better sustainability strategy with an aim of ‘Net Zero by 2035’.
Sainsbury’s director of technical and ethical Stephen Johnson added: “Not only does our partnership support the charity’s vital work in assisting so many children across the UK, but it also helps us to deliver our commitment to support local communities, whilst helping our planet too by protecting resources and reducing waste.”
The news comes as former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King has warned of “double digit food inflation”.
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