The People’s Supermarket, a project inspired by a Channel 4 programme, is set to open in Cowley this summer.
The aim is to bring “good quality local food to Oxford at a great price,” said founder Chris Waites.
He added, “It’s a normal supermarket but the prices are much much cheaper. And it will have a nice community feel to it.”
The supermarket’s motto is “For the people, by the people”, and it will be run and owned by members of the community. Shoppers can opt to pay a £12 annual membership for a stake in the project whilst the store will be staffed by volunteers who get a 20% discount in return.
With low running costs and by dealing directly with local producers, Waites expects his community-run supermarket to be about a third cheaper than Tesco on an average shop.
“I currently run Community Grocer which delivers groceries to the elderly,” said the social entrepreneur, “and to be honest it has surprised me how easy it is to undercut Tesco by dealing directly with local producers.”
Waite explained, “This is about making people feel valued and offering a fair deal to local farmers. It also keeps money in the local economy.
Cheaper prices are not Waite’s only motivation. The project is designed to be a non-profit organisation and surplus will be reinvested into local projects and training.
“So far everything is going very well” said the founder. The lease has been agreed, relationships with local suppliers have been established and people have expressed interest in membership.
Doireann Lalor, Sustainability Officer at the Turl Street Kitchen, said that the TSK staff are all “very excited” about the new supermarket.
“We are all going to the opening meeting next Wednesday,” she said. One of the Turl Street Kitchen’s suppliers, Cultivate, is also looking to get involved.
The members launch will take place next week at seven o’clock in Cowley Road Methodist Church. Chris Waites expects to get the food from field to shop in a matter of hours using special vans which run on recycled vegetable oil.
Another of Waite’s priorities is tackling waste. “I think it is nothing short of a national scandal that the big four supermarkets throw away 300,000 tons of food per year.”
Of the big four, only Sainsbury’s publishes its food waste figures. The supermarket generated 44,000 tonnes of food waste in 2011. However retailers point out that their food waste is proportionately small compared to the British consumer. As a nation we throw away more than 7 million tonnes annually.
Speaking to Channel 4, Bob Rutland of the British Retailer’s Association said, ‘Retailers wouldn’t deliberately overstock and deliberately throw food away. That would be a cost to their business and they’re trying very hard to minimise those costs from the outset to remain competitive.”
Chris Waiten said that he aims to be different, explaning, “We are a zero food waste supermarket.” Surplus or damaged produce will be cooked into ready meals, juices and cakes in the in-store kitchen.
He added, “Quite simply, I want to change the way we shop for food in Oxford for good.”
Student Fiona Potter, who works part time in a fair-trade shop , called The People’s Supermarket “interesting new way of supplying the community’.
‘Next year I’ll be living out in Cowley and as a student I’m always on the lookout for good deals, so this sound great,” she added.
Anna Ssembuya, a student from Exeter College was also enthusiastic about the idea. She said, “Vegetables especially are often very expensive in supermarkets, which as a vegetarian can sometimes be a problem. This would be amazing.”
“Hap-pea days,” she concluded.
