Lidl GB stores across the UK have donated £110,000 to local charities through the retailer’s community investment programme.

This has seen staff at each store hand a £500 donation each to two local good causes of their choice.

“We've made strong progress in our community investment, supporting millions of people in need through our food donations every year,” said Lidl GB chief executive Ryan McDonnell.

“We are always striving to go further though, which is the inspiration behind this latest initiative. This empowers our colleagues to support locally, creating meaningful change alongside our charity partners in the communities they serve.”

Over the last four years the retailer has donated more than £2.3m to good causes.

In addition, charity partners of its food redistribution Feed It Back scheme have received Lidl gift cards worth £300. This is run with community platform Neighbourly and has delivered more than 50m meals over the last decade.

Earlier this month Lidl GB increased its food waste reduction target from 50% to 70%.

This includes extending its partnership with Neighbourly to trial a Surplus Saviours food redistribution initiative in the Midlands, which is expected to redistribute more than 5,000 tonnes of food to those in need.

It will also run an animal feed trial in the Peterborough area that will see inedible fresh bakery used to create food for animals.

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