Thousands signing up to save at city’s community shop club

The Community Shop scheme in Wolverhampton has seen more than 4,500 people sign up as members, paying a membership fee, which varies between venues, and make an average of £30 a week savings on their weekly shopping.

The scheme was created by Wolverhampton Council, who made an initial investment of £175,000 in the five shops, which are spread around the city. The council is providing ongoing support, expertise and resources.

It said that with national news showing grocery price inflation has hit a record 16.7 per cent, adding a potential £788 to annual shopping bills, there’s even more reason to check out the nearest community shop.

A recent comparison showed a basket of products providing a week’s worth of meals for two people currently costs £28.80 at the community shop, compared to £63.16 at two large supermarkets.

Leader of Wolverhampton Council, Councillor Ian Brookfield, said there were big savings to be made and encouraged residents to try them out to help their money go further.

He said: “These shops are for everyone who lives in Wolverhampton and the membership is growing rapidly, with 4,500 at the last count.

“We invested in these shops with time and money, as we believe they really do offer a way for people to do the best for their families in these difficult times.

"They also help our local economy, which helps everyone in the city in the long-term, and they help reduce food waste.

“It’s a way to make your money go further and keep your head held high, knowing you’re doing the right thing for your family in these very hard times.

"This is just one of the many ways, as a council, that we’re trying to help our citizens get through the cost of living crisis.”

It's been estimated by Wolverhampton Council that around £7 million could be saved by households using the community shops, which can be found in Bilston, Eastfield, Low Hill, Park Village and the Scotlands, areas identified as among the most deprived in the city.

One of the largest shops is the Bilston community shop, run by manager John Raj, who said he was regularly inundated with customers who are often already queueing outside ready for him to open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

He said: “We’ve had an amazing response from the community since opening our doors in the Strengthening Families Hub in September. We’ve already got 845 members and it’s growing rapidly by the day.

"It’s not just about giving people the opportunity to have autonomy around managing their budgets. Our customers can also get a wide variety of foods to suit their cultural needs and tastes

“Our products are the same quality you would get in the main supermarkets, we just cut out the middleman and buy wholesale and weekly to get the best prices for our customers."

For more information and the latest locations as they happen, go to wolverhampton.gov.uk/cost-of-living-support