SUPERMARKET giant Morrisons is distributing £10 million of groceries to the nation’s food banks during the coronavirus outbreak.

The retailer is producing extra food from its foodmaking sites and distributing more food from its stores to help restock food banks.

Morrisons, which has two stores in York, is the UK’s largest fresh foodmaker and will be running its bakery, egg and fruit and veg packing site for an extra hour every day to make, prepare and pack food to give to food banks.

It will also be sending deliveries of ambient food - such as canned goods and pasta - to its stores to also give to their local food bank.

The food will be distributed by Morrisons community champions - in-store colleagues who work with the local community.

Britain’s foodbanks, a critical source of food for the most vulnerable in our communities, are suffering badly during the current crisis, as donations have dried up rapidly over the last two weeks and demand has increased.

In addition, to make it easier for customers to donate to food banks, purchase limits on items will be raised to four items (from three) and some removed altogether. Morrisons will create ‘local’ drop off points for customers to donate products to those in need. Donation hubs in Morrisons’ recently repurposed in-store cafes will collect these additional products for their local food banks.

David Potts, CEO of Morrisons said: “As a food maker and shopkeeper we are uniquely placed to help. We know food banks are finding life very difficult and running our manufacturing sites for an extra hour each day to help restock them is the right decision at this time.

“The core purpose of all 96,537 colleagues at Morrisons is to play our full part in feeding the nation."

Morrisons' two York stores are on Foss Islands Road and on Front Street, Acomb.