LONDON – February 2nd – Tastes Good Does Good condemns Barclays UK's astonishing suggestion that its 20 million customers turn to food banks during a weekend IT outage. This tone-deaf response reveals a shocking ignorance of food poverty's severity and the vital role of food banks.

"It's outrageous," says Greg Wixted, Founder and CEO of Tastes Good Does Good. "A £42.7 billion bank passing the buck to food charities is unacceptable. They're effectively taking food from the mouths of the nation's poorest families."

Directing millions to food banks for Barclays' own failings could cost charities an estimated £260 million per day, based on DWP figures. This influx would cripple already stretched resources, leading to shortages and closures, severely impacting the 7.2 million people reliant on these services.
"How will Barclays foot this £260 million daily bill?" Wixted asks. "Food banks are a lifeline, not a contingency plan for banking glitches."

Barclays' suggestion also demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of how food banks operate. Most, including those run by the Trussell Trust (with whom Barclays has a partnership), require referrals from professionals, not just a desperate customer.
"This PR nightmare risks doing more damage to Barclays' reputation than the initial IT glitch," Wixted warns. "They should apologize to food charities and commit 1% of their revenue to fighting food poverty."
Tastes Good Does Good, a purpose-driven food and hospitality group, dedicates 15% of its revenue to combating food poverty, supporting charities, and empowering entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds. They believe in putting people before profits, a stark contrast to Barclays' insensitive and irresponsible actions.