In view of the current economic downturn, Barcelona City Council’s Area of Quality of Life, Equality and Sport has created the Food Surplus Committee. This organisation seeks to increase and make better use of the city’s food surplus in order to cover the basic needs of a greater number of families.
Mercabarna, together with other organisations such as the Food Bank Foundation, the Red Cross, Cáritas, the Barcelona Business Association Council, the Major Distribution Companies Association, the small and medium-sized enterprises of Catalonia commerce association PIMEC-Comerç and others, makes up this committee, which will join forces and create new cooperation strategies.
Mercabarna has been collaborating with the Food Bank for 10 years now, providing it with a warehouse for collecting fresh produce surplus and an office on the grounds. It also works with the wholesale business associations of the companies located on Mercabarna property in the running of communication campaigns for boosting donations.

Two euros buys food for one week
And once again this year, Mercabarna has collaborated with the campaign "Table for Seven Billion", backed by the NGO Intermón Oxfam. This initiative calls for and aims to facilitate food access to the inhabitants of different African, Latin American and Asian countries by providing development aid to producers in these areas. Both businesses and individuals can help the cause by donating at least €2 (the one-week food budget needed by an inhabitant of Africa’s Sahel region). This can be done via the website: www. intermonoxfam.org.