Turning surplus into support: How Sainsbury’s and Neighbourly are helping communities thrive

In just 18 months, Sainsbury’s has donated over 10 million meals through our partnership with Neighbourly. That’s enough to feed the entire city of Manchester for a day. Don’t just take our word for it, the numbers speak for themselves.

• 1,400+ stores donating food daily
• 2,500+ local charities, schools and groups supported
• 605 causes backed this year alone
• £4 million+ donated through Neighbourly since 2021
• 373% more surplus food redistributed (vs. 2019/20 baseline)
• £33.8 million raised for good causes in 2025

These aren’t just stats, they’re proof that when good food is shared, it can do a whole lot of good.

Turning surplus into support

At Sainsbury’s, helping everyone eat better doesn’t stop at the checkout. Every day, our stores generate surplus food that’s still perfectly good to eat. With Neighbourly, we’ve built a fast, localised system that gets that food to where it’s needed most — often within hours.

It’s a simple idea with a powerful impact: less waste, more support.

“It’s a lifeline for families.” –  Neighbourly-supported community partner, Huddersfield for “making it easy to make healthy choices”.

Local solutions that work

Neighbourly matches each of our stores with a nearby organisation that can use the food right away - whether it’s a breakfast club, a youth centre, or a women’s shelter. Food is collected the same day it’s donated, so nothing goes to waste.

And because these groups know their communities best, we’re not just giving food — we’re backing local leaders with the flexibility and trust to make a real difference.

Real stories, real impact

Lewisham

A youth centre told us that food donations from their local Sainsbury’s reduced no-shows at evening programmes by 40%. When young people know there’s a hot meal waiting, they show up and keep coming back.

Huddersfield

A food bank that’s seen demand triple since 2022 now relies on daily donations from their local store. The team told us our partnership helps them meet growing demand and support overstretched volunteers.

These are the outcomes that matter. Not just tonnes saved, but lives touched.

Part of our Plan for Better

This work is a key part of our Plan for Better, our strategy to build a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient food system. In 2025, we:

• Redistributed 373% more surplus food to communities
• Raised £33.8 million for good causes
• Continued our journey to become Net Zero in our own operations by 2035

Because helping everyone eat better means making sure no good food goes to waste — and no one goes without.