Brilliant new feature found outside Woolworths store: 'Wow'

Woolworths has unveiled a brilliant new feature outside the front of their stores that will help to feed Australians in need.

In a video posted to their official TikTok account, @Woolworths_au, Woolworths celebrity Liam Kirley introduced the supermarket’s Local Community Food Drive.

“What is the Woolworths Local Community Food Drive?” asks Liam in the 35-second video.

Liam explains that from Wednesday, November 3, every Woolworths in Australia is providing food relief trolleys at the front of their stores to help people in need.

“For a week starting this Wednesday November 3 you can donate essential dry goods into specially marked trolleys at your local store,” says Liam in the video, as he loads the dedicated trolley full of non-perishable groceries.

Each of the food drive trolleys are easily distinguishable with a green sign that reads: “Woolworths Local Community Food Drive”, so shoppers can locate them at a glance.

“So, I’m going to grab some of my favourite products and all these products that you see here you can put in the trolley at the front of the stores,” says Liam, while grabbing a tin of mixed beans, long-last milk, oats, and rice pops cereal.

“Plus, Woolworths will donate $250 worth of fresh food on top of that. And, that’s the Community Food Drive at Woolworths,” concludes Liam.

According to the Woolworths website, all donated items will be distributed either directly to a store’s local community food relief charity partner, or via one of Woolworths’ major food relief partners, including OzHarvest, FareShare and Foodbank, and their network of local charities.

Woolworths will also top up each donation of groceries, with a gift of fresh food to the value of $250 to further assist the local community groups in providing nutritional support for individuals and families that may need food relief assistance.

‘So nice’: Shoppers praise Woolworths in the comments

It didn’t take long for Woolworths shoppers to react to the TikTok video, with the video amassing thousands of views and hundreds of likes within hours of release.

Many customers also took to the comments to applaud the retailer for giving back to their local community.

“That’s so nice!” wrote one shopper.

Woolworths responded: “It’s nice to be able to give back.”

While one impressed shopper simply commented: “Wow!”

Meanwhile, one customer questioned why Woolworths wasn’t already donating all the food they throw out daily.

However, another shopper was quick to point out that: “They already do! The things which are deemed as not sellable, but the food is totally fine, are donated to OzHarvest.”

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Woolworths helping to feed Australians in need

The Local Community Food Drive is the latest initiative for Woolworths in their fight against hunger.

In August, Woolworths pledged up to $1 million of additional support in food, essential items and logistics to help their long-standing partners, OzHarvest, Foodbank and Fareshare.

Customers were also able to play their part in supporting food relief efforts when shopping at Woolworths supermarkets (minimum $30 spend) and Metro stores (minimum $15 spend) by rounding-up their purchases to the nearest dollar at the self-serve checkouts.

Shoppers can also help OzHarvest support those doing it tough by buying a hamper for a family in need on the Woolworths website or at the checkout.

In the last 12 months until August, Woolworths and its customers have provided more than $8 million in support to OzHarvest, Foodbank and Fareshare with 10,000 tonnes of edible surplus food provided to charities.

Brad Banducci, Woolworths Group CEO said that caring for Australian communities is an important part of what it means to be the Fresh Food People.

“We’re continually inspired by how our teams, partners, and customers are working together to support those most in need during the pandemic,” said Mr Banducci.

He added: “While our store teams have been on the frontline serving the essential needs of the community, our charity partners have likewise been doing incredible work ensuring Australians hit hardest by this crisis can still access quality nutritious food and essential household goods.”

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