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PEOPLES SUPERMARKET in the UK... London


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PEOPLES SUPERMARKET. Am not a member (not in my locality) but happen to know some people involved. Interesting idea. Some of these in the US but first one over here I think ?

 

A Supermarket by the people, for the people, not for profit/mutual type thing. Buying good quality food at a fair price from lcal farmers. Run by member volunteers - about 1100 !!!

 

http://www.thepeoplessupermarket.org/home/?page_id=73

 

WHAT IS THE PEOPLE’S SUPERMARKET?

 

We are a social enterprise, not- for-profit co-operative. In plain English it simply means we are a food store that is community focused, owned and managed by our members (hopefully you!), and committed to offering lower prices by reinvesting the profits back into the store.

Why? Well, we believe there’s really enough big business supermarkets already and, quite frankly, it never seems to benefit anyone but for a small few who sit at the top of the food chain.

 

How it works and what are the benefits?

A large part of any business’s expense is the hiring of staff. The more we save on wage costs the less we need to charge for groceries. Being a co-operative means we use a different strategy whereby we share the responsibilities of running the shop across our members, and that means we can offer ongoing member discounts.

Each member pays a non-refundable £25 annual membership fee (it works out to less than 50p per week!) and then volunteers 4 hours of their time each month to help run the store. As the number of members and sales increases the savings for members at the till will rise!

 

DO I HAVE TO BECOME A MEMBER?

Anyone can enjoy a great shopping experience at our store but it is only members who are rewarded with a lower cost on their purchases. There are many other benefits to becoming a member. You will, for example, have an active say in how the shop’s run and the types of products offered. Here are some more great reasons to become involved:

-Volunteering feels good -Chance to learn new skills -Meet local people -Be part of something rewarding -It costs less than 50p per week

 

WHO OWNS AND RUNS THE STORE?

The members do! The People’s Supermarket belongs to its members, with each member getting a vote to decide how the enterprise should run.

By working in the store for a pre-arranged 4 hour shift each member actively participates in the success of the store. Training is given to each member, including visits to local suppliers and producers. And because we are very interested in the health and vibrancy of the local community there will be subsidised work placements, including skills training for unemployed 18 – 25 year olds.

 

WHO DO YOU SUPPORT?

Our aim is to provide good quality food, especially fresh produce, at affordable prices for all. To that end, we are keen to source as many lines as possible from within the UK as well as from British growers. We also look for co-operatives that produce goods or provide services we can use. We do carry organic lines but are mindful they can carry a premium price that is beyond many of our customers’ reach.

 

http://www.thepeoplessupermarket.org/home/?page_id=135

 

 

 

- To create a supermarket that meets the needs of its members and the local community by offering high quality, healthy food at reasonable prices.

- To buy from trusted suppliers with whom we develop mutually sustaining relationships.

- To buy British produce where possible, and produce local to London.

- Provide choice and information to our members to help them make healthy decisions.

- To create a community supermarket that highlights the possibilities of consumer power and challenges the status quo.

- To minimise wastage, by creating prepared dishes from food coming up to its sell-by date, and by composting all other waste material.

- To provide inspirational training and life skill opportunities to the local community

- To create a working environment that values every one’s contribution, is welcoming, safe and non-judgmental

- To be a training and development resource for our community.

- To buy sustainable energy and other inputs, and to promote alternative, forward thinking ideas and solutions.

 

Have recently launched a funding appeal.

 

https://www.buzzbnk.org/ProjectDetails.aspx?projectId=58

 

 

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I find it refreshing to see groups like this coming together and putting their ideas into actions.

 

There is an internet based local co-operative in my area where they deliver a box of fuit and veg which they claim to be locally grown blah blah blah which they deliver within 3 working days from date of order at half the supermarket prices. The quality is good (though some outsized from *groans* EU specification) and it is indeed fresh but, unless you know of any South East UK banana plantations, some of their claims do seem a little absurd.

 

A couple of my work colleagues use the service though personally I grow a lot of my own. Though I can understand why, it is a shame that local allotment holders are not permitted to sell their excess fruit and veg to local non-profit making co-operatives but then ............. that's a political issue.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Christmas (and the lead up to it) is a good time to promote an idea like this.

 

Perhaps some unemployed people can be persuaded to donate some time in return for lower food costs, and better quality food

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