‘Overwhelmed’ food banks forced to turn people away after running out of food

Exclusive: Demand for help now fast outstripping supply, say charities hit by empty shelves

Food banks are running out of supplies amid an “overwhelming” surge of new people falling into hardship during the cost of living crisis, with some charities forced to turn away families in need.

Several managers told The Independent they had run out of food this summer, with some reducing the size of parcels and having “painful” conversations about whether to cap the number of people they can help.

The Independent Food Aid Network (Ifan), a network of 550 groups across Britain, said the safety net was “crumbling” because of the ongoing rise in the number seeking support, with empty shelves increasingly widespread.