Inspiration Case 6: Sustainable Food Cooperative & Supermarket

INSPIRATION CASE 6: SUSTAINABLE FOOD COOPERATIVE & SUPERMARKET

Inspiration & Parametres for change a) sustainable and healthier communities

General Information In smaller and even in large cities, like London, an impressive number of food co-operatives already exist on one hand, and sustainable food shops on the other one. Sustainable food cooperative & supermarket projects, like the People’s Supermarket, combine both of them. They build a supermarket offering high quality and healthy food at reasonable prices but, more importantly, they develop mutually sustaining relationships with and buy from trusted, and where possible, local suppliers and producers only.

Healthy and sustainably produced food is no longer an expensive luxury as sustainable food co-operative supermarket projects offer high quality, healthy and affordable food. That means, those projects promote first of all a healther diet for the community. On a social level, they provide inspirational training and life skill opportunities to the local community, learning more about healthy lifestyle. Becoming a member of the co-operative even increases community development and cohesion effect as the model provides education and training for members and binds them in volunteering working shifts. Additionally, members are rewarded with a lower cost on their purchases.

b) promoting the local food chain

Sustainable food co-operative supermarket projects promote the local food chain, reducing the overall carbon footprint and many more, as they build up sustaining relationships with trusted suppliers and the local farming community as well as thinking about minimising energy and waste. Wherever possible, locally or nationally produced food is being sourced, dishes prepared from food coming up to its sell-by date, and all other waste material composted.

INSPIRATION CASE 6: SUSTAINABLE FOOD COOPERATIVE & SUPERMARKET Our inspiring example: THE PEOPLE’S SUPERMARKET, London, U.K.

The People’s Supermarket on Lamb’s Conduit Street, London is a sustainable food co-operative supermarket operating within values based on community development and cohesion. Their intent is to offer an alternative food buying network, by connecting the urban with a local farming community.

How does The People’s Supermarket work in detail? The People’s Supermarket as a sustainable food store that is community focused, owned and managed by its members, and committed to offering low prices by reinvesting the profits back into the store. The main principle behind the concept is that the store is a co-operative, owned and run by its members. Each member pays a non-refundable £25 annual membership fee and, more importantly, volunteers 4 hours of their time each month to help run the store. As a large part of any grocery store’s expense is the hiring of staff, this member’s volunteering model can save on wage costs and charge less overhead costs on groceries hence provide healthy & locally produced food at affordable prices. The People’s Supermarket creates a community supermarket that highlights the possibilities of consumer power.

What does it mean for the local community? First of all, the People’s Supermarket provides healthy and sustainably produced local food at reasonable prices for the whole community as everyone can shop in the store. But furthermore, the concept provides inspirational training and life skill opportunities promoting the health and vibrancy of the local community. For example, there will be subsidised work placements, including skills training for unemployed 18 - 25 year olds and work training for each co-op member, including visits to local suppliers and producers.

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