A SUPERMARKET in Maldon has joined an initiative to donate products to charity after research found a large percentage of people are living in hygiene poverty.

Tesco, in Fullbridge, is working to help distribute hundreds of personal care and household items to families facing hygiene poverty in Essex.

The Tesco store has teamed up with the charity In Kind Direct and suppliers Unilever, Kimberley Clark, Essity and Haleon, which supply well-known household brands such as Radox, Persil, Andrex, Bodyform and Sensodyne.

The partnership is in place so for every two purchases made by Tesco customers on a selection of essential hygiene products, a third product will be donated to charity.

The partnership comes after research found 20 per cent of adults in the east of England said they or someone in their household have gone without hygiene products such as shampoo or deodorant in the last six months.

The research by In Kind Direct, commissioned from YouGov, found that included nine per cent who skipped buying toothbrushes or toothpaste.

The initiative will continue until October, 3, giving customers three more weeks to get involved.

The partnership is the first of its kind, bringing together manufacturers across different categories and a charity partner, to donate these essential products to communities.

All products will be distributed by In Kind Direct, which works with thousands of charitable organisations, including community groups, foodbanks and schools.

Tesco spokesman Claire De Silva said: “It’s really important to us that we are able to support even more people in our communities to get the essential items, and this partnership enables us to help when it’s needed.

“It is incredibly important to challenge the stigma of hygiene poverty, as it affects over nine million people in the UK.”

Rosanne Gray, CEO at In Kind Direct, said: “Making tough choices every day between food, life essentials and rent is the reality for far too many people.

“We are delighted that the leadership of Tesco and Unilever has catalysed a partnership, and we look forward to welcoming new partners so that together we can make a difference in communities.”