Victory! ASDA drops plans to scrap food banks

Just in: people power has forced ASDA to cancel their plans to scrap food bank collection points in their stores! 

When ASDA announced their plans last week, food banks said it’d mean they’d have much less food to hand to struggling families. 38 Degrees member Clare was outraged, so she started a petition on the 38 Degrees website. In just a few days it gathered an enormous 88,000 signatures – including yours.

Standing alongside food banks, charities, and other campaigners, 38 Degrees members sent a clear message to ASDA: you’re making the wrong decision. And late last night, ASDA bosses announced they were bringing the food bank collection points back.

Here’s what the Guardian reported today:

“The supermarket chain Asda has announced a policy U-turn that will see the return of permanent collection points for food banks and other charities in all its UK stores.

“In response to its initial policy change, 88,000 people signed a petition hosted by the campaigning organisation 38 Degrees and a number of MPs raised concerns.

Amanda Bloomfield, the chief executive of the Gatehouse Foodbank in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, said: “Members of the public […] were unhappy about it, and they wanted to know why it had been made. I’m sure they’ll be glad to know that their voices have had an influence.”

This victory will have a huge impact on thousands of people across the UK. Lots of us are just a couple of paycheques away from relying on the vital support that food banks provide – and for some they’re a daily lifeline.

Today’s victory is proof that when thousands of us come together to fight for fairness, we can win.