MPs have written to the Prime Minister asking to deliver 100 million meals to families that are worst affected by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The government ministers state that 2.9 million tonnes of food is going to waste on farms and in factories every year that could be going directly to communities and people that are struggling.
Around 57 MPs from across Parliament are supporting charity network FareShare in calling for funding to be reinstated, as previous support for surplus food redistribution has been axed, and calls to renew it have been rejected.
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In the letter that was handed in to Downing Street this week, MPs have requested that the government invest £25 million a year into surplus food redistribution.
With food costs being at their highest in over 14 years, seven million people across the UK are now food insecure, a figure that has more than doubled since the start of the pandemic.
In a recent survey of the 9,500 charities that receive food from FareShare, over 90% said demand for their services has increased since January due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Three in four charities have also said that this surge is coming from people who are accessing support for the first time, with many seeking support despite being fully employed.
“The cost-of-living crisis has seen demand skyrocket, and we don’t have enough food to meet this demand. That’s why we launched the cost-of-living Crisis Appeal, so we can get more food to the communities that need it,” CEO of Fareshare, Lindsay Boswell said.
He added: “As a charity we rely on the generosity of our partners in the food industry, fundraisers, and volunteers, but we also need the government to act immediately.
“At a time of so much need, it is wrong there is so much waste. Senior figures in government have repeatedly said that they support us at the dispatch box, but that support has not translated into actual funding.
“We need funding, and we need it now. I’m incredibly grateful to the MPs who have joined together from across the house to help us raise this issue at the centre of government.”
The news comes as UK food manufacturer Premier Foods has launched its new partnership with food distribution charity in a bid to tackling food waste and supporting those in food poverty.
