Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to improve the relationship between grocery stores and food banks, specifically to encourage the use in food banks of food that would otherwise become waste.

Foodbanks are independent, charitable organisations and the UK Government does not have any role in their operation. However, since 2018 over £11 million has been awarded to the surplus food redistribution sector to help them acquire more surplus food from the supply chain to those in need.

Hundreds of projects both large and small have been supported across the country in providing infrastructure such as vehicles, freezers and fridges. In addition, through the Waste and Resources Action Programme we continue to work closely with the redistribution sector and across the food chain to tackle any barriers to increasing redistribution including through the provision of tools and guidance.