Mastercard and Pick n Pay partner for a priceless initiative that helps feed the nation

Each time a customer pays for their Pick n Pay shop online with their Mastercard,  30 meals will be donated to FoodFoward SA

To commemorate World Food Day, there is there is no better time to help combat hunger in South Africa than through acts of giving. Knowing how passionate people are about causes, Mastercard is partnering with Pick n Pay’s Feed the Nation and FoodForward SA to launch a “Click to Feed” initiative that enables its cardholders to donate meals to those who need it the most.

Until 31 December 2020, every time a customer pays for their Pick n Pay online shop (www.pnp.co.za) using their Mastercard, 30 meals will be donated to vulnerable communities on behalf of the customer - at no extra cost – by Mastercard. The donated meals will be distributed by FoodForward SA to more than 1,000 beneficiary organisations across South Africa, helping reach millions of people.

The initiative builds on the ‘Tap to Feed’ campaign which saw Mastercard partnered with Pick n Pay and FoodForward SA in 2018 to donate a meal for every contactless payment made in Pick n Pay stores.

“With the support of our cardholders, we managed to donate over 1.5 million meals in 2018 to help fight hunger and reduce poverty in South Africa. This year, we aim to have greater impact and donate two million meals to support South Africa’s recovery from the devasting economic and health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Suzanne Morel, country manager at Mastercard, South Africa. “This is a Priceless Cause we know many people hold close to their hearts, and together, we can do more to be a force for good and make a real difference in people’s lives.”

“Feed the Nation has helped provided millions of meals since lockdown started and this was made possible through the support of customers, organisations and beneficiaries. The need to form partnerships to feed our nation is now greater than at the start of lockdown, and we are honoured to partner with Mastercard on this great initiative. Through this initiative, customers will be able to make a difference by simply using their Mastercard to pay for their online shop, and by doing so, will contribute to making a difference in the many communities that are in need," says Suzanne Ackerman-Berman, transformation director at Pick n Pay.

According to the recent NIDS-CRAM Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey, one in five respondents reported that someone in their household went hungry while one in seven reported that a child had gone hungry in the last week.

“Thousands of community kitchens provide meals for those who cannot afford to buy food or for people who run out of money two weeks into the month. Partnerships between Not for Profit Organisations and the corporate sector are crucial at this time of recovery so that we can respond appropriately in vulnerable communities. We appeal to all South Africans to support this initiative and help us provide much-needed food supplies to those who are most in need,” says Andy Du Plessis, Managing Director at FoodForward SA.

To donate 30 meals for free to FoodForward SA, all Pick n Pay online shoppers need to do is enter their relevant Mastercard card details when paying for their online shop, confirm the transaction with a One Time Password from their bank, and the payment – and donation - is made automatically. Mastercard will donate a maximum of two million meals over the campaign period.

Using a Mastercard credit, cheque or debit card is one of the safest ways to pay online, as every purchase is backed by Zero Liability protection. That means cardholders won't be held responsible in the rare event that someone makes unauthorised purchases with their card.