Tesco has publicised a new charity initiative intended to make sure “no food that can be eaten” from a Tesco store will go to waste.

The “Community Food Connection”, in collaboration with Fareshare FoodCloud, will see Tesco sending millions of meals to those in need. According to CEO Dave Lewis, the plan is to have the initiative covering all Tesco stores by the end of 2017.

Dave Lewis said: “We believe no food that could be eaten should be wasted – that’s why we have committed that no surplus food should go to waste from our stores.

“We know it’s an issue our customers really care about, and wherever there’s surplus food at Tesco stores, we’re committed to donating it to local charities so we can help feed people in need.”

Since taking over the company during the 2014 accounting scandal, Mr Lewis has been working to improve Tesco’s reputation, as well as its finances. Mr Lewis was recently appointed the chair of Champions 12.3, a coalition of governments, businesses, international organisations, research institutions and civil societies that tackles food waste around the world.

The new Tesco scheme will be nationwide: over the next few months it will be rolled out to Leeds, Leicester, Kent and the West Midlands, and by the end of 2016 all Tesco’s large stores, of which there are over 800, should be connected to it.

France recently implemented a law that forbids supermarkets from throwing away unsold food, and there is a petition with over 150,000 signatures for an equivalent in the UK. British retailers and wholesalers waste over 200,000 tonnes of food every year, yet Tesco is the only UK retailer that publishes transparent food data from its own operations.

Once fully developed, Tesco believes Community Food Connection can be an “industry standard platform to make a real difference to local charities and communities.”

Tesco and Fareshare FoodCloud are now calling out for charities and community groups to join and take advantage of the scheme.