Hunger drives record demand for Tampere food aid while food waste falls

Hunger is driving record demand for food aid in Tampere, with the city’s Food Bank seeing 20,000 requests per month in January–February, Tamperelainen writes. The outlet reports that this demand is rising even as food waste has decreased.

Tampere’s church-run Ruokapankki (Food Bank) handled roughly 20,000 food-aid pickups per month in the first two months of the year, up from an average of about 15,000 last year. Tamperelainen notes that the Food Bank chief executive Tanja Lähteenmäki describes the situation as alarming, stressing that need already broke records last year.

The figures cover both food parcels and meals. In January–February, 27,080 food parcels were distributed, including food assistance provided through the Finnish Red Cross and the Free Church’s diaconal work via ViaDia. Tamperelainen says diaconal and social responsibility leader Ville Aalo also saw a rare pattern in winter food aid lines: people were so hungry that they started eating immediately after receiving a bag, unable even to wait to go home. The Food Bank handles logistics for all Tampere food aid, sending surplus food from shops, industry and professional kitchens to its terminal in Nekala.

While the Food Bank’s food supply from donations was 41,500 kilos per month in early 2025, this was about 9,000 kilos less than a year earlier. Tamperelainen reports that shops and professional kitchens have managed to reduce waste, but the Food Bank has compensated by buying more food, using 50,000 euros for purchases in January–February. The outlet adds that the Food Bank also buys basics to supplement household storage, and that its leaders are concerned that some recipients may have neither other food at home nor a place to prepare meals.

Funding comes from the City of Tampere, as well as donations from companies, communities and individuals. Tampere City finances food and equipment purchases as well as wage-subsidy costs with 335,000 euros per year, and last year provided an extra 50,000 euros to support the Food Bank’s 30-year operations. Tamperelainen notes that the organization was founded in 1995 with the idea that demand might later decrease, but the need has continued to grow. It says the Food Bank is now serving a wider group than before, with recent observations including more families with children, as well as young women with immigrant backgrounds; Aalo and church communications specialist Eva Waljas also mention students, pensioners and even people who are working.