‘Social supermarket’ where you can fill a basket for just £2
A NEW sustainable community supermarket where you can get a basket of food for a fraction of the price of a normal shopping trip has opened in Nottinghamshire.
The Social Supermarket, in Rainworth, Mansfield, is open to all and provides everything from fresh fruit and veg to tinned food and snacks.
Amelia Betts, foodshare coordinator at
The Social Action Hub, which is running the supermarket, said it is the first of its kind in the country.
She said the staff have had “nothing but rave reviews” since it opened last week. Shoppers are asked to “consider it similar to a food club” and pay a £1 yearly membership subscription, and £2 per shop.
The membership subscription is used to pay for and contribute to emergency food parcels which are delivered under a separate project run by The Social Action Hub.
It is part of the charity’s aim to ensure they are wholly sustainable rather than relying on Government grants.
Amelia, 21, said: “We started the shop as a way to give people access to affordable food, reduce food waste and at the same time raise much-needed funds for those who are extremely clinically vulnerable, isolated and at risk. It is open to anybody, not just for people who are desperate.
“It’s working very well at the moment – we’ve had so much interest, which is really nice to see.”
Amelia, of Mansfield Woodhouse, said on the shop’s first full day, they had around 30 customers and around 25 on the second day.
People are given a basket and can fill it as much as they like for £2.
She added: “The food isn’t just going to one bit of the community. The money from the supermarket goes to people who need it the most through the food parcels.
“We can see the numbers of people needing food parcels rising every week.
“We don’t want to rely on Government funding forever so something like this means we can rely on the community to help us and we can help them. It’s a win-win.”
Amelia said the supermarket and emergency food parcels project have been “inundated” with donations throughout the pandemic, with Rotary donating £500-worth of tinned food.
She added: “This is something our CEO Claire Penny has wanted to happen for a very long time.
“Everybody that’s come in has been shocked at the price. But it’s rewarding for the shoppers to know that their money is going towards helping people in vulnerable positions.”
The Social Supermarket, in Kirklington Road, is open on Monday and Thursday from 11am to 3pm.
It’s rewarding for the shoppers to know their money is going towards helping people in a vulnerable position
Amelia Betts