Sunderland 'social supermarket' planned to help people in need

The Company Shop Group is the leading distributor of surplus food in the UK and works with manufacturers and brands to stop millions of surplus products going to landfill every year.

Company shops provide goods to ‘restricted customer groups’ such as food manufacturing workers, police, the fire brigade and front line NHS workers.

Due to the success of an existing company shop in Washington, which opened in 2018, the Company Shop Group approached Sunderland City Council to open a community shop.

As opposed to company shops, community shops provide relief to local communities and those receiving welfare support.

They are normally based in areas of social and economic deprivation offering discounted food and day-to-day products which would otherwise be thrown away.

A report to the council’s ruling cabinet described the model as a “social supermarket” which aims to improve the response to food insecurity and food waste.

The hubs also offer a range of services from debt support and employability skills to cooking clubs and budgeting workshops.

And any profits would be used to deliver development programmes.

Following discussion, council bosses agreed to work with the Company Shop Group to potentially set up a community shop on Wearside.

A report for city councillors states the project would support the council’s wider aims to:

:: Reduce food waste.

:: Effectively use food surplus.

:: Improve recycling / reuse and reduce the carbon footprint.

:: Develop community led solutions for people at risk of food insecurity rather than food crisis.

:: Create step-up services from food bank use.

It adds that rejecting the proposal would likely impact residents in some of the most deprived areas.

The report goes on to say: “These potential options however also need to consider that Sunderland is made up of a number of different communities and with some different needs.

“Therefore any community shop deployment should be able as far as possible to meet residents’ needs in different areas.”

The council’s input into the project includes supporting the Company Shop Group to find potential bases.

For more information, visit: www.companyshopgroup.co.uk