Food bank etiquette

[PaddyDingDong]

I have had to use a food bank recently, I don't qualify by benefits and wasn't referred it's just a lovely local place that helps anyone out that temporarily needs it. Anyway it's one where you tick on an online form what you need I e deodorant and then go and collect bags of stuff from a specific place but it could be any brands or supermarket items so the specifics are unknown til you collect.

There are just 3 things I can't use, some sweets put in for the kids for a treat which they don't like and won't eat, some deodorant that would effect my skin and some bar soap which again I know will effect our skin. I also had some tins of lentils and chickpeas in the cupboard (in date) that we'll never use so I've put all this back in the bags ready to take back to the foodbank (they ask for bags back when convenient) thinking its better someone else gets use of these

My husband says it's poor form to return stuff and I should just keep it and we might use it one day or take to another food bank. I say I want to help the one thats helped us.
So YABU take elsewhere or keep
YANBU it's fine to take back.

For anyone saying about lentils and chickpeas- we've tried so many times in so many types of meals and we all just don't like them at all. Lentils also gives me and my husband bad stomachs too.

I think that's fine, rather than waste it

Yes, I think it’s absolutely fine to take it back, better to be used!

I work for a foodbank and it's absolutely fine to take it back.

We often get calls from recipients saying they can’t use stuff we have sent them so we collect next time we are passing (my Foodbank is delivery only).

You can take it back or just pop it in your local collection point. They would rather have it back than let it go to waste! Also return your carriers to the collection point: if they are anything like our food bank the carriers are as short supply as anything else!

When you see donation points in supermarkets, are you only allowed to put in stuff you bought from that particular shop, does anyone know?

You can put any brand food into supermarket collections points. I gifted some bath sets my girls received as they can't use them and was told its all grateful received. You can also donate things from multi boxes that have been opened. We tried chicken stock cubes didn't get in with them so donated the rest of box as all individual wrapped, did leave in box so that could see date

You're over thinking this.

It's fine to return some food and make donations of your own

Drop it off in your local Sainsbury’s food bank collection point if you feel uncomfortable about returning it back directly.

Just return it, I volunteer at a Food Bank and we would much rather people return food they can't use (either direct to us or anonymously in a Food Bank collection point) than it going to waste.

Either return it or donate it to a food bank box at a supermarket.

I would put it back in a supermarket collection point. Because the supermarket might top up the value if it is their brand or a brand they sell. Tesco add 20% of value of donated goods!

But of course it is fine to give it back.

I volunteer at a food bank and my job is to collect the food from these bins. We wouldn't even check or notice, all brands of anything and everything gratefully received.

*No fresh food though, we don't collect daily!

Thanks all