Iceland and The Food Warehouse is launching a new scheme designed to help the most vulnerable families this summer.
The supermarket is not only accepting free school meal vouchers throughout the summer, but is also giving customers a £5 top up, the biggest ever free school meal top-up and more than double the £2 it offered in 2023.
The announcement of the huge scheme, which is available to almost 2.2 million families, comes as Iceland’s research found that almost a quarter of British parents (24%) plan to skip meals during the summer holidays in order to put food on the table for their children.
The study also revealed that more than half of families (57%) are worried about coping financially through the holidays with 43% worried this could be the most expensive summer they have ever experienced.
With children off for up to six weeks in summer, an astonishing 93% of parents are expecting to fork out more than £300 extra on food alone.
Millions of parents have already started planning for the increase in costs with half (50%) saving up for the expected increase in spending.
To claim the top-up, families must have a registered Iceland and The Food Warehouse Bonus Card, which is free to sign up for via the Bonus Card app or online at https://www.iceland.co.uk/
Richard Walker, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods, said: “We know the summer holidays can be an incredibly difficult time for families, but hearing that some parents are going without meals just to keep food on the table for their children is truly heartbreaking.
“No parent should have to make that kind of sacrifice, and at Iceland and The Food Warehouse, we’re committed to standing by families during this challenging time. We hope these extra top-ups bring a little relief to those who need it most this summer.”
Further findings from the research reveal that parents feel a huge amount of pressure to ensure their children don’t feel left out during summer. Almost half (42%) feel pressure to spend money and 38% feel guilty about not giving their children the summer holiday they want.
In order to afford the increased cost, skipping meals isn’t the only sacrifice parents are making, more than a third (38%) are cutting back on household essentials leading to more than a quarter (28%) of parents dreading the summer break.
In addition to the top up, Iceland has also curated a range of deals specifically to help families, including deals on lunch time snacks, everyday essentials and delicious meals. Offers include, 8 for £10, half price off big brand favourites, buy two get one free, half price off laundry and more.
For more information on Iceland’s Bonus card visit Iceland Bonus Card | Iceland Foods
