"Food shortages hit social supermarket in Coventry"

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They say their donations have been impacted by wider national supply issues



A social supermarket in Coventry has told CoventryLive that their donations have dropped due to food shortages.

Stoke Aldermoor social supermarket say that food supply issues have hit the supermarkets that would normally donate to them in bulk.

As a result they have experienced shortages on their own shelves, and have issued an appeal for donations.

Social supermarkets are an increasingly familiar sight in Coventry, popping up in neighbourhoods around the city, offering an affordable and sustainable way for families to do their weekly shop.

They operate on the model of offering £20 worth of food for £4, and are there to give people a helping hand.

Their shelves are stocked by food redistribution charity Fare Share, and charitable donations from local supermarkets and groups.

Ray Stabler from Stoke Aldermoor Life Centre told CoventryLive that in the last few months, donations from supermarkets to the centre have dried up.

Mr Stabler believes this is due to to national supply issues effecting supermarkets, which caused shortages on the shelves earlier this month.

Labour shortages in the food industry over the past month has meant that some supermarkets have had shortages of particular items.

Mr Stabler said: "Food shortages means food companies are not able to donate.

"If donations stop, I wouldn't like this to stop.

"As you can see we have gaps on the shelves where we didn't before."

CoventryLive visited the social supermarket on September 24 and it was evident there are some gaps on the shelves where supplies in donations have run dry.

Showing us around the supermarket, Mr Stabler went on: "Obviously we've got a few gaps on the shelves at the moment because we are running short so any donations [we would be] grateful."

Mr Stabler added that it is not only recent food supply issues, but supermarkets recovering from panic buying which he believes has affected incoming donations to the social supermarket.

He added: "With the pandemic, a lot of panic buying has emptied the shops and so that is having a knock-on effect to us, because we can't actually get the donations off them, because they can't donate what they haven't got.

"But hopefully things will get better and we will be able to help more people."

Mr Stabler said that this perfect storm of factors has left parts of their shelves bare.

He did say that local groups such as Coventry Mercia Lions and regular donations from Fare Share has ensured their supply has continued, meaning no family has lost out.

If you need to use a social supermarket, a free registration process involves an initial conversation, where you sign up to the supermarket’s terms and conditions.

You then become a member and pay £4 a time to fill a shopping bag by choosing from a range of household staples.

If you need a food parcel or can donate to the supermarket contact: Stoke Aldermoor Life Centre, 78 Roundhouse Road, CV3 1DA, is open Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm.

You can walk into the centre, email: office@aldermoorlifecentre.org or call ahead on 02476 454010