Food bank donation ban shames Asda

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/feb/19/food-bank-donation-ban-shames-asda

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Many of us had hoped that as government inflicted greater poverty in the form of benefit cuts and delays, businesses and councils would respond, in the manner of Victorian philanthropists, and increase their support for charities. It seems that in some cases this is not going to happen (Asda stores ban food bank donation boxes, 18 February). How mean of the supermarket not to allow any collection points in its stores. The Gatehouse charity, which you mention, has in fact been dealt a second blow in recent weeks when Suffolk council announced that Gatehouse could no longer collect household items from the local recycling centre. These items were distributed to disadvantaged families trying to make a home. Asda and Suffolk county council should be ashamed of themselves.Richard StainerBury St Edmunds, Suffolk

• As a contributor to our local foodbank in Stowmarket, I was appalled to read that Asda will no longer allow trolley collections from its stores here and elsewhere. Presumably this is because there is some pilfering from the trolleys. In Stowmarket, with our Morrisons scheduled to close, the foodbank will lose both its collection points, as well as the donations received via the green token scheme. Given that the donated items have been paid for, how is Asda losing out? This mean-spirited decision needs urgent reconsideration.Jill Mortiboys Stowmarket, Suffolk

• The gist of Asda’s argument seems to be that as a proportion of the food has been stolen, then they can no longer give the idea their support. As the food is not their food, it has been bought by individuals and gifted by them, what loss does Asda make? If Asda sited the collection boxes further inside the store, then the frequency of theft would drop.Roy HoggNottingham

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