Aldi has donated a record of more than 1.5 million meals to charities over the Christmas and New Year period to help support households in need over this festive season.

The supermarket’s food donations, which are part of Aldi’s partnership with charitable platform Neighbourly, saw surplus food given to good causes.

The discounter teamed up its stores with local charities, community groups and food banks across the UK to collect unsold fresh and chilled goods when stores closed early for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Aldi also worked in partnership with Company Shop Group this festive season to provide around 2,000 meals at its Community Kitchens across the UK in the run-up to Christmas.

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Aldi UK national sustainability director Liz Fox said: “We are so proud to team up with such amazing charity partners throughout the UK and the impact they have cannot be underestimated, especially during the winter months when their services are needed more than ever.

“We are pleased that through our partnership with both Neighbourly and Company Shop we have been able to give back to the communities we serve by providing more donations than ever this Christmas.”

Neighbourly chief executive officer Steve Butterworth added: “We’re pleased to have supported Aldi once again during what is often one of the busiest periods for our charities. Large donations like Aldi’s allow us to provide vital support to communities across the country who would otherwise miss out.”

The news comes as German discounter announced it donated 40 million meals to good causes since its partnership with Neighbourly began back in 2019.