At Sainsbury’s, good food matters. It plays a vital role in our lives - supporting our health and shaping everyday moments that bring people together. That’s why we believe everyone should have access to, and benefit from, the joy of good food.
Yet today, far too many people do not have equal access to nutritious food, with one in seven families facing food insecurity (The Food Foundation). Research also shows that up to 30% of children skip breakfast regularly (Lejac, Hannan & NcNulty, 2025), while 20% of teachers have reported that the number of children who are too hungry to learn has increased (School Food Matters, 2025).
So, we’ve partnered with the Department for Education supporting its Free Breakfast Clubs programme, so all children have the good food they need to thrive at school. Through this partnership, we’re helping schools provide free breakfasts to children before the day starts - strengthening breakfast club provision and ensuring pupils are nourished and ready to learn.
Working together with the Department for Education
The Government’s Free Breakfast Clubs programme provides 30-minute sessions before the school day starts, giving children a free, healthy breakfast and a safe, welcoming space to start the day.
In October 2025, as part of the early delivery phase rollout, 750 schools were supported with £200 Sainsbury’s gift cards to help them strengthen their free breakfast provision - including nutritious options such as porridge, fruit and high-fibre wholegrain breads.
In April 2026, the rollout expanded further, with 570 additional schools joining this phase of the programme and receiving the same £200 Sainsbury’s gift card support.
In total, we have supported breakfast clubs in 1,320 schools as part of government rollout, helping make free breakfasts available to 280,000 children across England.
Part of our wider work to help people access good food
Our work doesn’t stop at the school gates. Tackling food insecurity means showing up where families need us - after school, in the holidays and in the heart of local communities.
Meals donated
Since 2022, our work with Comic Relief has helped deliver 60 million meals through over £26 million of funding to support people who need it the most, made possible by the support of colleagues, customers and suppliers. This year alone, we donated £8.7 million – helping even more people access the food they need. Most recently, at Christmas, we donated over 5 million meals during the winter months, helping families come together around good food and spend time creating joyful memories in a particularly challenging time of year.
Support for families outside term time
For families already under pressure, holidays can be especially tough, with added costs and fewer opportunities for children to access regular meals and activities.
The Government’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme provides vital support, but eligibility criteria and limited coverage across the school holidays mean some families are left without help.
Working with Comic Relief, we support organisations to provide thousands more free holiday club places for children and young people across the UK. The clubs aim to create safe, welcoming spaces where children can enjoy a free, healthy meal and take part in activities such as cooking, sport and music. These clubs help children eat well, build confidence and make positive memories with friends, while offering practical support to parents and carers during the school holidays.
Our vision
We believe in a future where no child or family goes hungry, and everyone can access joyful, affordable food every day. Making that vision a reality means everyone playing their part – from colleagues supporting communities on the ground, to customers donating during their shop, and stakeholders helping shape the policies needed for lasting change. We’re committed to playing our part until this future becomes a reality, and until everyone, across the country, can enjoy joyful, affordable food every day.