Press Release 20th January 2025

Thanks to our customers! Two BILLA fundraising campaigns raised 105,000 euros for people in need

Throughout the year, BILLA supports Austrian aid organisations with various fundraising campaigns and initiatives. During the Christmas period in particular, the grocery retailer was once again able to demonstrate what can be achieved through solidarity in cooperation with its customers - around 105,000 euros were donated to people in need as part of the two campaigns ‘Eine Spende, die satt macht’ and ‘Kekse kaufen für das Ö3 Weihnachtswunder’ alone. There were also many other regional campaigns in the federal states. BILLA would like to thank its customers for their great commitment!

(f.l.t.r.): Robert Nagele (BILLA board member), Eva Kimmes (Corporate Cooperations and Events of the Austrian Red Cross), Manfred Kumer (Head of Philanthropy and Corporate Cooperations at the Austrian Red Cross) and BILLA store manager Nermina Mlivo at the donation handover to the Red Cross' Team Austria food bank. / Copyright: © BILLA AG / Robert Harson, Reproduction for PR purposes free of charge

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At a glance

BILLA would like to thank its customers for their great commitment during this year's Christmas donation campaigns
80,000 euros will go to the ‘A donation that fills you up’ campaign, which provides people affected by poverty with basic food and hygiene products
BILLA apprentices supported the Ö3 Christmas miracle and raised a total of 25,000 euros with home-baked biscuits

Robert Nagele, BILLA Management Board member: ‘At BILLA, it is a matter close to our hearts to help wherever help is urgently needed throughout the year. Our two major fundraising campaigns in December impressively demonstrated how much we can achieve together. A big thank you to our customers, who sent a strong signal of solidarity with their donations. Thanks to them, around 105,000 euros are now going to people in emergency situations in Austria.’

Customers donated 80,000 euros for ‘A donation that fills you up’

In December, all BILLA and BILLA PLUS checkouts were able to donate five or ten euros to the ‘Eine Spende, die satt macht’ campaign in cooperation with Team Österreich Tafel of the Red Cross and Hitradio Ö3. Thanks to this commitment and a corporate donation from BILLA, a total of 80,000 euros was raised. The amount will be distributed directly to people in need in the form of basic foodstuffs and hygiene products by Team Österreich Tafel.

Michael Opriesnig, Secretary General of the Austrian Red Cross: ‘Crises place a heavy burden on many people in Austria and lead to financial bottlenecks and poverty for many of them. At the Team Austria food banks, we see every day how high the need for help remains. It is therefore a particular concern of the Red Cross to stand by these people in difficult times. Especially in crisis situations, we must not look away, but must actively support each other together. Our special thanks therefore go to all those involved who have made an important difference with their donation as part of the campaign.’

Successful baking campaign by BILLA apprentices: 25,000 euros for the Ö3 Christmas miracle

The Ö3 Christmas miracle collected donations for the Licht ins Dunkel emergency aid fund for the tenth time. BILLA is delighted to be able to support this anniversary: A few weeks ago, apprentice confectioners baked thousands of Christmas biscuits together with Eva-Maria Kaiser, Managing Director of the BILLA bakery and confectionery shop, and they were sustainably packaged in jars and available in selected BILLA PLUS locations in Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland in November and December. Around 25,000 euros were raised from the proceeds. The donations were handed over to Hitradio Ö3 in person by BILLA Sales Director Stefan Weinlich and BILLA apprentice Olivia Prettenhofer in the glass wish hut in Wiener Neustadt on 23 December as part of the Ö3 Christmas miracle.

BILLA Sales Director Stefan Weinlich: ‘Our BILLA apprentices were very proud to be part of the Ö3 Christmas miracle. With their great baking campaign, they really achieved great things and were able to generate net proceeds of 25,000 euros.’

BILLA apprentice Olivia Prettenhofer: ‘It was really nice to be able to take part in this special campaign and bake so many biscuits for a good cause together with my colleagues. Being able to hand over the donation cheque in person in Wiener Neustadt was a special highlight for me.’