Lidl Portugal has raised €270,000 to support animal welfare organisations across the country through the sale of its special charity shopping bag, known as ‘Pa-tudo’.
The supermarket chain will distribute the funds among 54 animal protection associations, with each receiving €5,000 to help cover essential expenses, including veterinary treatment, food and hygiene supplies.
Launched in June, the initiative supports three associations in each of mainland Portugal’s 18 districts, including the Algarve.
According to Lidl, the campaign is expected to benefit more than 12,300 animals, including approximately 7,600 cats and 4,700 dogs.
The funds will help address some of the most pressing challenges faced by animal rescue organisations.
A survey of the participating associations found that 91% identified high veterinary costs as a major difficulty, while 70% reported shortages of pet food.
More than half of the organisations are operating with severely limited resources, with some facing critically low supplies of food and hygiene products.
A shortage of volunteers was also highlighted as an ongoing concern.
Charity bags still available
The results were announced during the ‘Cãominhada Max & Mila’s World’, a charity dog walk held at Mata do Jamor, near Lisbon, which brought together approximately 300 families and their pets.
Vanessa Romeu, Lidl Portugal’s Head of Corporate Affairs, thanked customers for supporting the initiative.
“Every bag sold is a vote of confidence from our customers in the animal welfare cause, and the amount already raised proves that together we can make a real difference on the ground,” she said.
However, she stressed that the needs of animal rescue organisations remain constant and that continued support is essential.
The ‘Pa-tudo’ charity bag remains available at Lidl stores nationwide for €1, with 50 cents from each sale going directly towards animal welfare.
The campaign also includes a partnership with Animalife, an organisation supporting financially vulnerable families who struggle to provide for their pets.
By helping owners meet the costs of caring for their animals, the initiative also aims to prevent abandonment and reduce pressure on already overstretched animal shelters.
Inês Lopes
Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident