German discounter Aldi has joined the Government's national voucher scheme, allowing parents to redeem free school meal coupons at stores nationwide from today.
The grocer joins Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S, who have all pledged to help families who are struggling to cover their weekly food shop under the Department for Education's initiative.
Free school meal supermarket vouchers were unveiled last month, after ministers introduced a lockdown - which started on schools before rolling out UK wide.
Under it, more than a million school children who have been sent home for the foreseeable future will qualify for supermarket vouchers to help alleviate the pressure on struggling families during the coronavirus outbreak.
It's designed for those who already qualify for free school meals - and will give families £15-a-week for each eligible child in shopping vouchers.
Across the UK, Schools have been told they can continue to provide meals and food parcels for collection or delivery themselves, but where this is not possible, the scheme allows schools to provide vouchers to families electronically, or as a gift card in the post for those without internet access.
This week, the Department for Education said £4million worth of vouchers have been redeemed by families.
However, schools say technical problems have resulted in huge delays for parents.
Headteachers last week branded the initiative a "fiasco" after it left thousands of families struggling to feed their children over the Easter break.
Parents were unable to claim vouchers for food because the private company behind it had been hit by a deluge of inquiries.
French-owned company Edenred runs the scheme, but they said they could not cope with the demand.
In an email to schools, the firm said urged those without an "immediate requirement" should stop visiting the site, and only submit orders four days before they are needed.
Headteacher Rachel Purvis said: "It's just been a fiasco. I've managed to get one of three batches through since ordering on April 2."
The school had to help parents set up email addresses, as many didn't have them because of lack of internet access. But she said the delay and problems with orders has been "farcical".
"We've just had to keep saying to parents 'They will be coming through at any moment'. You wouldn't believe the time we've spent on this. It's ridiculous," she said.
One primary school head from Merseyside said: "Lots of parents are struggling to get a voucher, some might not have a computer or even an email address.
"We are trying to help overcome those obstacles, but we are talking about dozens and dozens of people.
"Then if they do get a code for a voucher they have to print it off before they can take it to the shops. The system just isn't working."
The DfE has now agreed schools can now place orders for up to four weeks of vouchers at a time, as well as ordering combined vouchers for children in the same household.
Edenred said this will "reduce the administrative burden on schools and reduce the volume of visitors" meaning a "significant difference to your experience".
Minister for Children and Families Vicky Ford said: "We are focused on making sure that the 1.3 million disadvantaged children who would normally have a free school meal do not go hungry as a result of staying home to protect the NHS and save lives.
"We encourage schools to work with their suppliers to arrange food parcels or collections. Where this is not possible, we have launched a national scheme for schools to provide supermarket vouchers. So far, Edenred report that £15 million worth of vouchers have been converted into supermarket gift cards by schools and families.
"Today I am pleased to announce that supermarket Aldi has joined the list of supermarkets who can accept the national scheme gift cards and parents will be able to order Aldi vouchers from the week commencing 27 April."
