London’s biggest food charity, The Felix Project, has warned that food supplies are ‘running low’ and will not be able to meet demand unless the retail industry intervenes.
The charity said soaring energy costs and food inflation has caused issues in the supply chain with deliveries to food banks.
Sainsbury’s, Deliveroo, Innocent and Hello Fresh are among the brands and retailers that contributed almost 8,500 tonnes of surplus food between January and August this year to the charity.
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“We met with around 100 of our food partners to explain why we need more food and suppliers,” Felix Project CEO Charlotte Hill said.
“We spoke about the massive challenges on the ground with the cost of living crisis, which comes on top of the toll of the pandemic, which is still being felt.
“We’ve got four huge depots, a community kitchen that delivers 5,000 meals a day and a fleet of 45 vehicles out, so fixed costs and our energy costs have risen dramatically.”
Felix’s Kitchen, which provides meals for large community groups, costs an estimated £1.3 million a year to run. The charity said these costs are due to rise in line with the huge increases in energy prices.
“The situation at the moment is a perfect storm,” added Hill. “We are seeing a huge rise in demand while at the same time our costs are going through the roof.”
The news comes as the cost-of-living crisis is making it harder for people to live more sustainably, as 65% want to be mindful of the planet and the environment but say higher prices prevents them from doing so.
As revealed in Kantar’s Sustainability Sector Index 2022 today, 68% of the 33,000 people interviewed believe products which are better for the environment are also less affordable.
Additionally, nearly half of consumers are now opting for budget and own-brand items as the cost of living crisis continues to intensify.
