Summary
Food Pantries aim to reduce food waste and tackle food insecurity by sourcing surplus food which would have otherwise been wasted and making it available to those who need it most for a small affordable subscription fee.
Making A Difference
Between Mar 2020 – Mar 2021, FareShare Glasgow Supplied 2527 tonnes of surplus food to 270 community food member organisations, with 110 of these being Glasgow-based. This equates to £9 mil of prevented food waste, and a 2425 tonne carbon emission reduction.
In the UK alone, approximately 400,000 tonnes of surplus food ends up in landfills annually. As part of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Adult Health and Wellbeing Survey conducted in 2018, over 10% of Glasgow citizens reported having experienced food insecurity, defined as either eating unhealthily or less than they thought they should due to a lack of money or resources, or being worried about running out of money for food. This figure was significantly higher than in other nearby local authority areas. Almost 5% reported having gone hungry for a full day.
The Food Pantry network aims to tackle these two issues, working with organisations to access surplus food and make it available to those who need it most.
Pantries are a relatively new development in tackling food poverty in Glasgow. They are targeted towards those on a low income and/or recovering from crisis, and are usually membership-based, co-owned and independently controlled by their members.
“I love coming to the shop the staff are so friendly and helpful”
– Ruchazie Pantry Customer
Set out as a shop, the Pantry model offers dignity and choice in exchange for a small affordable subscription fee. Food available in the pantry can be categorised (for example, meat/rice and pasta/fruit and veg), and membership entitles people to choose a set number of items from each category every week. This ensures that each member has the opportunity of a fair share of all the products available. To give an example, one Glasgow-based Pantry currently charges a weekly membership fee of £2.50, enabling members to choose 10 grocery items with a combined value of around £15.00.
“The pantry has been a god send for me and my family”
– Courtyard Pantry Customer
Sourcing the food through the FareShare network of quality surplus food allows the model to provide chilled, frozen and fresh food while remaining financially viable, meaning the range of provision is much wider than a traditional foodbank. In the year 23rd Mar 2020 – 23rd Mar 2021 FareShare Glasgow supplied 2527 tonnes of surplus food to around 270 community food member organisations, 110 of which are in Glasgow. Not only is this approximately £9 million worth of food which would have otherwise been wasted, it also enabled an estimated 2425 tonne reduction in carbon emissions. Due to logistical and resourcing issues however, only a fraction of the total national food waste is currently being prevented, and Council officers meet regularly with FareShare colleagues to discuss how we can increase access to this surplus.
There are currently ten Pantries in Glasgow either already operating or in the process of opening. These have each been developed through various channels, such as local group partnerships or via local Housing Association support. Other community organisations have proposed developing pantries, or expanding their existing food provision to include a pantry type project. As use of the model expands, new pantries must ensure they develop plans that are based on local demographics, taking into account the extent of need and existing provision the area, and recognise that they need to be able to source surplus food items beyond what FareShare is able to supply.
For more information, or to make a donation, visit the Scottish Pantry Network website.
