Although wage growth and employment are both taking positive turns as the economic situation improves, many UK families are still struggling to make ends meet. Zero hours contracts and underemployment mean that some have no choice but to rely on welfare benefits in order to pay for essentials such as utility bills and food.
Additionally, food inflation has further added to the cost of living, yet a new initiative may aid struggling families in Goldthorpe in this respect.
The UK’s first members only “social supermarket” has opened this week in the village located just outside Barnsley, giving those in receipt of welfare support access to cheap products to help lighten the pressure on the family budget.
The Community Shop places a discount of up to 70 per cent on items donated from the UK’s largest supermarkets, and stocks a range of items from cleaning products to food supplies. Although items on sale consist of surplus stock from supermarkets and items with damaged or mislabelled packaging, organisers Company Shop insist that everything sold on the premises is fit for purpose.
In order to take advantage of the savings at the Community Shop, people must prove that they are on benefits and live within the designated postcode area. They will then be issued with a membership card which they must use each time they visit the store in a system reminiscent of wholesalers such as Costco and Makro.
Company Shop’s director of social affairs, Sarah Dunwell, believes that the involvement of larger retailers will see the Community Shop become successful due to the wider range of quality products on offer.
“All the products are wholesome or fit for purpose, but for some reason were not going to make it onto the shelves of a supermarket,” she said.
“We think that people who are really struggling to stretch their household budget should be able to access this food.”
The decision to open the first Community Shop in Goldthorpe was made based on economic and social factors, as numerous studies have shown the Barnsley area to be one of the most deprived in the UK. However, Company Shop hopes to roll-out as many as 20 branches across the UK should the pilot store prove to be a success.
As for future investment, all profits from the Community Shop will be reabsorbed by the supermarket in order to establish a programme of additional support services. It is hoped that the Community Shop will eventually not only be an ideal spot for those on benefits to pick up their groceries – people will also be able to receive advice regarding debt management, take cookery classes and even techniques for writing a job application.
With food banks struggling to meet demand throughout the UK and unemployment remaining a key issue in the UK economy, the Community Shop will be welcomed by many families forced to depend on benefits.
Do you think the ideals of the Community Shop are workable, or should the eligibility of consumers also extend to those working in low paid roles?
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