Milton Keynes Tesco stores offer free cleaning and hygiene products to help hard-up families keep clean

Two large Tesco stores in Milton Keynes are pitching in to tackle hygiene poverty.

They are helping to distribute hundreds of personal care and household items to people who cannot afford to buy them.

The Tesco Extra stores at Kingston and Bletchley have joined forces with charity In Kind Direct and suppliers Unilever, Kimberley Clark, Essity and Haleon, which supply well-known household brands such as Radox, Persil, Andrex, Bodyform, and Sensodyne.

Until 3 October, for every two purchases by Tesco customers from a selection of essential hygiene products, a third product will be donated directly to the charity.

The partnership is the first of its kind, bringing together manufacturers across different categories and a charity partner to donate these essential products to communities.

All products will be distributed by In Kind Direct, which works with thousands of charitable organisations, including community groups, foodbanks and schools.

Rosanne Gray, CEO at In Kind Direct, said: “Making tough choices every day between food, life essentials and rent is the reality for far too many people. We are delighted that the leadership of Tesco and Unilever has catalysed a partnership, and we look forward to welcoming new partners so that together we can make a difference in communities.

"We believe everyone deserves access to life’s essentials. In 2022, the cost-of-living crisis forced people to make the impossible choice to heat, eat, or keep clean. With resources stretched to the limit, this year, our work was more needed than ever.”

Research by In Kind Direct, commissioned from YouGov earlier this year found that 20% of adults in the east of England said they or someone in their household have gone without hygiene products such as shampoo or deodorant in the last six months, including 9% who skipped buying toothbrushes or toothpaste.

Claire De Silva, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “It’s really important to us that we are able to support even more people in our communities to get the essential items, and this partnership enables us to help when it’s needed. It is incredibly important to challenge the stigma of hygiene poverty, as it affects over 9 million people in the UK.”