Cactus, Banque Alimentaire Collect 633 Tonnes of Food in 20 Years

On Thursday 11 June 2026, Cactus Group and Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg (Luxembourg Food Bank) marked twenty years of partnership during a press conference at Cactus Howald, announcing that more than 633 tonnes of food have been collected through joint food collection campaigns since 2006.

According to the partners, the collaboration combines food collection campaigns organised in Cactus stores with food donation schemes aimed at reducing waste while supporting associations assisting people experiencing hardship.

Since the launch of the partnership in 2006, more than 180 food collections have been organised across the Cactus network. According to Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg, these initiatives have helped strengthen support for vulnerable people, with the organisation currently assisting nearly 60,000 individuals through its network of partner associations.

Speaking at the press conference, Véronique Schmitt, Director of Marketing, Communications and CSR at Cactus, highlighted the longevity of the partnership and the role played by customers, employees and volunteers over the past two decades: "For twenty years, we have built a strong and lasting partnership with Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg, allowing us to mobilise our customers, employees and many volunteers around one concrete objective: supporting people facing food insecurity in Luxembourg."

Referring to recent STATEC figures, she noted that food insecurity remains a growing concern in Luxembourg, with around one in seven people at risk of poverty and nearly 30,000 people under the age of eighteen living in households exposed to poverty risks.

“For us as a food bank, it is a very good opportunity to draw attention to what we do throughout the year,” said Jean Rodesch, President of Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg, in an interview with Chronicle.lu. He explained that the organisation acts as an intermediary between food donors and partner associations working directly with beneficiaries, operating under a principle of "free in, free out", meaning that all food assistance is provided free of charge to those receiving support.

He also challenged the perception that poverty is not a significant issue in Luxembourg. While the country is often viewed as prosperous, he said many people facing financial difficulties remain largely invisible. According to him, rising housing, energy and other living costs leave some households with very limited resources for everyday necessities, including food.

Discussing the food collections organised with Cactus, Jean Rodesch noted that the initiative had expanded considerably since its launch twenty years ago. He added that 76 tonnes of food were collected through the Cactus network in 2025 and subsequently distributed through Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg's partner organisations.

Representing Lions Club Luxembourg International, Manu Roche, Director of Commercial Development at Banque Alimentaire Luxembourg, recalled that the food bank was established through an initiative of the club alongside other partners and has since become an important actor in efforts to combat food insecurity in Luxembourg.

He also shared an anecdote from a previous food collection campaign, recalling a customer who donated an entire trolley of food products and explained: "When I was struggling, I received help from the food bank. Now things are better, and it is my turn to help." Manu Roche said the story reflected what he described as "a chain of solidarity", where those who once received help can one day become those who give.

To mark the partnership's twentieth anniversary, a special food collection campaign is taking place at Cactus Howald from Thursday 11 to Sunday 14 June 2026. According to the partners, food collection campaigns continue to be organised regularly throughout the Cactus network, with details of upcoming collections across Luxembourg available on the Cactus website.