A councillor has suggested one thing that a major supermarket chain could do to improve.

Paul Hodgkinson, Gloucestershire county councillor for Bourton and Northleach, wants to see Tesco enhance its foodbank service.

In a bid to see the supermarket chain introduce a way to donate when shopping online, councillor Hodgkinson has written to Tesco’s CEO Ken Murphy.

He wrote: “Given the Cost-of-Living Crisis which we nowadays all find ourselves in, I have been given an idea by a constituent which I believe will help those who are suffering most.

“At present, many of your stores have a facility for dropping off food purchased in the shop which then goes to local foodbanks. Many people use this facility as we leave the store. 

“The collection points are usually full which shows that it is a really worthwhile thing for your supermarket to do.

Cotswold Journal: CAMPAIGN: Your Money Matters is a national campaign to help readers with the cost of living. CAMPAIGN: Your Money Matters is a national campaign to help readers with the cost of living.

“However, when customers shop online there is no option to donate food items or a cash amount to local foodbanks.

“This is a wasted opportunity and I have had residents raising this with me. I know I would use that option too if it existed. It would be quick, easy and highly effective.”

He added: “Just think of the extra food which could be donated to local foodbanks across the country?

“Just this week they have reported dwindling donations as more and more people feel the pinch.”

A spokesperson for Tesco has said the company is “working hard” to make it “as easy as possible” for customers to donate.

They added: We are committed to supporting the communities we serve, including through our food donation programme.

“While we don’t currently offer direct donations of food online, we do offer online customers the ability to donate their Clubcard vouchers online to the Trussell Trust or FareShare, and we are working hard to make it as easy as possible for customers to donate.”

The spokesperson also said that during Tesco’s recent food collection drive, from June 30 to July 2, customers donated more than 1.3 million meals worth of food.

Additionally, the company has made it possible for customers to make a monetary donation by rounding up their bill at the till, resulting in more than £320,000 in donations.

Tesco has then contributed an additional 20 per cent cash donation for chosen charities.

Your Money Matters is a campaign launched by us and our sister titles across Newsquest to help you overcome the surge in the cost of living.

This year has seen a whole host of household price increases — from the energy price cap rise to surging inflation and food prices — costing your family hundreds or even thousands of pounds extra per year.

We’re making it our mission to look out for your cash, offering money-saving deals, competitions, giveaways and insightful stories from your community on the impact this cost-of-living crisis is having on our readers.

The worldwide energy crisis exacerbated by the Ukraine invasion, the financial impact of the Covid pandemic, record inflation figures and a surge in the cost of goods, fuel and travel means we will all feel the pinch.

Through our newspaper, we want to do what we can to help make your cash go further because we know your money matters.