PARIS, Nov 26 — In the UK, a very different kind of supermarket is opening in London. In fact, this so-called ‘reverse supermarket’ is stocked only with items destined for those most in need of food support.
From tinned food to tea to toilet paper, 25 essential products that food banks need the most can be found on the shelves of this alternative supermarket, opened November 25 in London by Tesco.
As inflation continues to spiral in the UK, topping 11 per cent — its highest level since 1981 — the British supermarket chain has set up what it calls a ‘reverse supermarket.’
Here, British shoppers go in to fill their shopping baskets as usual, except that the things they buy will end up on the shelves of food banks rather than in their homes. Prices for items start at 40p, or about US$0.48.
For those in a hurry, a QR code displayed outside allows donations to be sent directly to the charities with which Tesco has partnered.
This supermarket is not a permanent fixture, since it will only be open for three days. While this initiative is essentially a marketing stunt — the British retailer taking the opportunity to highlight its 10 years of collaboration with charities Fareshare and The Trussell Trust — it is no less welcome, since the charities involved estimate that it could help more than 1.2 million people in the UK facing food poverty this winter.
The UK is experiencing an extremely challenging economic situation for consumers, who saw, for example, the price of butter rise by almost 30 per cent over one year last September. The price of a bottle of semi-skimmed milk is even up 34 per cent. — ETX Studio
