Vocal Voices

A new supermarket is being set up to sell products that are sub-perfect, but still fit for human use/consumption, with the products are being donated by some of the UK's largest retailers. Its customers must be on benefits and from a particular postcode, Goldthorpe, near Barnsley. Profits will be re-invested in such things as help with writing job applications, cookery, and debt advice. It really will be a "One stop shop" but I am in two minds.

My local Asda always has pallets of damaged goods in the yard - dented cans, crushed cereal boxes, that sort of thing, meats and soups and washing powder. This must be happening up and down the country and it is good that they are being sorted into usable and unusable streams rather than the whole lot going to landfill.

Goldthorpe might be a Thorpe, but there ain't much Gold there. It was a mining town till the mines closed in the 80s, and there has not been much investment put in the place since then. In some parts of the town a third or even fourth generation is being brought up without a job and no prospect of one. The services being offered by the supermarket are the same as those from the DWP - and they haven't worked.

In some ways this supermarket gives people another excuse to trap themselves in poverty. The supermarket is also causing rifts between those who can and cannot use it. Some ex miners and their families got work in Dearne Valley. Most of the work is in warehousing, and for not much more than min wage, and on that they pay tax, NI and council tax.

I did notice that he lady in charge didn't sound at all like she was from Goldthorpe!
Goldthorpe just existed for the pit; since then it's been dead on it's feet.
The idea will hopefully do some good for someone; but as WM says if you are 10p outside qualifying for the cheaper food, you aren't going to be happy.

I can't decide - on the one hand anything that helps people to feed themselves and their families is a good thing, but on the other hand I can see the points you made in your last paragraph Frank

They've just been showing it on the One show.
Didn't realise it was only for 500 people, but it's a pilot.
It may or may not make a difference with job applications etc, but it might at least open the way for more outlets for reducing food waste.
And some people will be able to afford to eat a bit more

Diflower wrote:.... but it might at least open the way for more outlets for reducing food waste.

But therein lies another problem. It is taking away customers from other local retailers.

Oh, I don't know. I like the idea of almost perfect goods not being dumped. I like the idea of helping those in need. On the other hand I do worry about some of the unintended consequences of the scheme.

Yes, will need to see how it works out I guess

there is to much wast by big suppliers
and it should be put back into the system
but it wont be long before people
will say they should have acess to it or sell there tickets to other people
would i use it no i wouldent
pride wouldent let me
but thats my opinion

saundra wrote:but it wont be long before people
will say they should have acess to it or sell there tickets to other people

Human nature being what it is, I agree Saundra.

It's an interesting one, isn't it? So from what's been said, Goldthorpe is one of those devastated mining communities that have left a generation of folk trapped in poverty and with little hope. There must be dozens of similar communities in an arc north from Nottingham up to the North East .....

I can't begrudge those people the opportunity to buy cheap food, and I hope the scheme is extended. It's far better to use the food than dump it, surely.

Reading blogs about this scheme and most of the comments are largely positive about the saving of not-quite-perfect goods. At the same time there is a lot of cynicism about how it will be used by the card holders with many believing that a lot of the goods will be sold on or shopping 'mules' created to shop for non card holders.

The one in Goldthorpe is a pilot so I expect that these things, and others, will be looked at very hard.