ALDI stores across Somerset have donated 6,400 meals to families in need during the recent summer school holidays.

All of its Somerset stores supported local charities and food banks during a period of increased demand by redistributing surplus food via community giving platform, Neighbourly.

Ahead of the summer holidays, new research from Neighbourly found that 78 per cent of the good causes it supports had seen demand for services increase in recent months, with 45 per cent noticing a decrease in donations.

Around four in five (79 per cent) expect the cost-of-living crisis will continue or worsen throughout the year, with organisations finding themselves unable to currently support an average of 45 people per week.

Since Aldi’s partnership with Neighbourly began in 2019, Aldi stores across the country have already donated more than 40 million meals.

Liz Fox, national sustainability director at Aldi UK,said: “We are so proud to work with such amazing charity partners across Somerset.”