Background information

Previously, Ministry of Social Affairs, and the Estonian Food Bank have given people food aid four times a year, mostly in the form of dry goods, tins and other slow-to-perish goods. Instead of the distribution of food aid items in local government offices, individuals now receive a food card, which can be used to buy food and essential goods with from Rimi stores all over Estonia. This allows families to choose their own necessary and preferred products and reduces the workload of local government social workers and Food Bank staff, whose task it was to sort and package the food items.

Content of measure

The list of people who qualify for food aid is based on subsistence benefit and local government support recipients. To qualify, a person must turn to their local government social worker and have their economic situation evaluated. They will then be registered as a food aid recipient and the food card is delivered via mail or the social worker.

€30 per person will be transferred to the food card quarterly. A single card per family will be issued. The support sum needs to be used within three months and will not be transferred to the next period. The food card can only be used to buy food and basic commodities.

The food aid is financed by European Social Fund.

Use of measure

Latest data from second quarter of 2023 indicates 28,936 recipients of food aid. There is no detailed data available on the use of food cards yet.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	People on low incomes

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies Other social actors (e.g. NGOs) Local / regional government	European Funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement as case not in social partner domain	No involvement as case not in social partner domain
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• No involvement
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No involvement.

Views and reactions

No views or reactions have been expressed.

Sources

• 21 March 2023: Estonia tests food card system in Harju and Rapla counties (news.err.ee)
• 30 October 2023: Riik läheb tänasest toiduabi jagamisel üle toidukaartidele (sm.ee)