Talking Retail Grocery and product news for independent retailers
Under the initiative, volunteer responders are able to shop for the vulnerable person they are supporting at more than 700 Spar stores in England and Wales.
Along with Royal Voluntary Service, volunteers are now working with cancer charity Marie Curie, Parkinson’s UK and sight loss charity RNIB, who can use designated Spar stores to shop for vulnerable people.
Louise Hoste, managing director of Spar UK, said: “It is hugely important for those who are vulnerable to have access to food and deliveries. As our stores are situated in local communities, we are in an ideal position to actively promote how people can shop by using their volunteer network.
“When we heard how much pressure these charities are under trying to deal with the huge increase in the number of enquiries they are receiving, we extended our help to allow their volunteer networks to shop with ease in our stores.”
By introducing helpful payment processes to support volunteers in participating stores, the charities taking part are encouraging their volunteers to use their local Spar stores for their shopping.
Hoste added: “In order to help shoppers who cannot visit stores, we have also introduced a telephone ordering service, telephone and collect or indeed a home delivery service in a number of stores.
“The aim for our volunteer shopping support service is to make essential items available to those who need them the most. As local community Spar stores, our first priority is to be there for all our customers.”
Spar is also supporting the Carers Week campaign (8-14 June) by using social media to drive the awareness of carers who may need support with their shopping needs in local communities. The group is urging people to pledge their support on the Carers Week website and have circulated ACS guidance to its retailers on how to recognise and support carers.
Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK, said: “Being able to access food quickly and easily has been especially important to unpaid carers during this pandemic. Many are caring for someone who has been shielding, or they will be shielding themselves, so getting food and other supplies from the shops has been a more tricky task than usual and for some it has caused a lot of stress. We are pleased that during Carers Week support is being extended so that unpaid carers and those they support can easily get the supplies they need.”
