Throughout October, Mars Food & Nutrition will run a campaign in partnership with retailers Tesco, Asda, and Morrison's, donating 10p per pack of Ben’s Original or Dolmio purchased to the Trussell Trust
31st October 2023, London – Mars Food & Nutrition UK are proud to continue their partnership with the Trussell Trust to Stand Against Hunger for the fourth consecutive year. In line with the Mars Food & Nutrition Purpose – Better Food Today. A Better World Tomorrow – the business stands with the Trussell Trust in advocating for a future where no one in the UK needs to rely on food banks.
13.4 million people live in poverty in the UK, of which 3.9 million are children. With the cost of living crisis continuing to push more people into poverty, the Trussell Trust handed out almost 3 million food parcels in the last 12 months – a staggering rise of 37% versus the previous year. Mars Food & Nutrition believes the act of families cooking and sharing meals together fosters happiness, health, and resilience. However, for many families across the UK, the struggle to put food on the table remains a stark reality.
This year, Mars Food & Nutrition UK is making an additional donation of £115,000 to the Trussell Trust, bringing their cumulative support for this partnership to over £4,000,000 by the end of 2023. These funds will be instrumental in bolstering the Trussell Trust's extensive network of 1,300 food banks, which play a vital role in supporting the communities across the UK who are battling hunger.
The partnership activity this year couldn’t come at a more pressing time. The Trussell Trust predicts that this winter will be the busiest winter on record. For the first time, the Trussell Trust’s network of food banks expect to provide more than 1 million food parcels between December and February – equating to one parcel every 8 seconds (11,500 a day).
Throughout October, Mars Food & Nutrition are running a digital-only campaign in partnership with retailers Tesco, Asda, and Morrison's. To enable shoppers to actively contribute to making a difference, the business has also pledged to donate 10 pence for every pack purchased online during the activation period.
Having joined the Mars Food & Nutrition UK business from Mars Wrigley UK in April this year, Nick Reade, Mars Food & Nutrition UK, General Manager said: ‘This partnership demonstrates why Mars Food & Nutrition’s purpose is so important. It is a sad reality that too many people in the UK are going hungry and I am proud that our work with the Trussell Trust is helping those in crisis. We want a UK where large-scale emergency food distribution is no longer needed. I believe we can achieve this future, but it calls for all of us to take action. By working together, we can strive for a future where hunger is a thing of the past, and everyone truly has a seat at the table.”
Sophie Carre, Director of Public Engagement at the Trussell Trust, added: “Thank you to Mars Food & Nutrition for their ongoing support which has made a significant difference to people supported by our network. Food bank teams are working tirelessly to ensure help continues to be available. But ultimately, no one in the UK should need to turn to a food bank as all of us should have enough money for the essentials. The support of Mars Food & Nutrition will help food banks within our network continue to provide the lifeline of emergency support for local people in crisis, while we work in the long term to build a hunger free future.”
Mars Food & Nutrition UK is unwavering in its commitment to the fight against hunger and is proud to continue its partnership with the Trussell Trust, striving to build a future where food banks are no longer a necessity.
--- ENDS ---
Press Office
MarsPressOffice@freuds.com | 020 3003 6632
About Mars Food & Nutrition
Mars Food & Nutrition is a segment of Mars, Incorporated with 2,000 Associates across 30 countries. It has some of the world’s leading food brands: Ben’s Original™, Masterfoods®, SEEDS OF CHANGE®, Tasty Bite®, foodspring™, and DOLMIO®. For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook(Opens a new window), Instagram(Opens a new window), LinkedIn(Opens a new window) and YouTube(Opens a new window).
