1.5 million people use the food banks in Germany to distribute food. “Above all, the number of children has increased slightly compared to the previous year, which worries us,” said Andreas Steppuhn, chairman of Tafel Germany. According to the aid organization, the food bank supplies numerous people with its more than 970 distribution points, almost 30 percent of whom are children. Around 20 percent of the people who use the Tafel’s offerings are older than 63 years.
According to its own information, the food bank saved around 265,000 tons in Germany in 2025 Groceries before destruction. She therefore primarily tried to get food directly from the manufacturers. By using artificial intelligence, supermarkets could see how much they were selling, meaning there was hardly any food left over.
According to the board, 77,000 people are currently working for them, 72,000 of whom are volunteers. “This is a slight increase compared to the previous year. That makes us very hopeful, but it still doesn’t mean that the food banks have enough helpers,” said Steppuhn. “A third of all food banks still have waiting lists or admission stops,” said Steppuhn. The organization cannot accommodate everyone who needs help.
Tafel catches political failures
Reliant on the board are people with low income, but also with too little social assistance. “The increased cost of living due to high rents and high food prices ensure that money is becoming increasingly scarce for many,” said Steppuhn. That also means that System of panels under pressure.
That’s why Steppuhn called for politicians to intervene. He would like “politics to focus again on people and togetherness.” “We need solution-oriented people social policy measures that are truly about social justice strive,” he said. This included poverty-level wages, pensions and social benefits as well as measures against high rental costs.
Politicians also have to do something about food waste. “With a view to saving food, we are finally hoping for a law that will ensure that it is cheaper to donate food instead of throwing it away,” said Steppuhn. There is such a law in comparison about France not yet in Germany.
