S-Mart

S-Mart is Angus’s first Social Supermarket

Our vision is to eradicate food insecurity and reduce food waste in our local communities in a dignified, stigma free way using surplus, donated and purchased goods.

There is so much surplus food available in this country that there is no need for anyone going hungry or struggling to access good quality, in date food.

Besides the immediate impact of hunger on human lives, household food waste alone accounts for 2,240,000 tonnes CO2 eq, this represents 2.9% of Scotland’s carbon footprint which could be reduced or entirely eliminated.

Climate impact

Food waste sent to landfill is particularly problematic as it releases methane, a greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide. In 2016, 1.15 million tonnes of biodegradable waste (food waste and other organic waste such as garden waste) was sent to landfill in Scotland.

This represented a 43% reduction over 10 years (CCC, 2018) but is still a challenging volume that must be reduced. (Zero waste Scotland – “Scotland’s Food Waste Reduction Action Plan”)

Between 2021 and 2023 Community FirstUK, through S-Mart, Angus’s first Social Supermarket saved over 300 tonnes of food from going to landfill.

With the introduction of the s-Mart model across our communities, this impact will be tenfold.

Between April 18th and July 31st 2020 we provided 35,9991 meals to people across Angus through the Community First S-Mart Grocery Pack initiative.

How does it work?

We use surplus goods from a variety of sources and partners such as Fareshare, businesses, community gardens and donations from the local community. We then sell these items in S-mart at hugely discounted costs.

Most items cost between 50-70% less than mainstream supermarkets and corners shops meaning an individuals or families budget goes much further. For example, someone who spends £5 in S-Mart will find that to be approximately £10 worth of food.

This helps maximise incomes and reduce the risk of financial crisis.

There is no “means testing” and have intentionally opened our stores to anyone and everyone.

S-Mart looks and feels like any other mainstream shop.

By doing this, we reduce the risk of stigma often associated with food insecurity, increase dignity for anyone experiencing food insecurity and have created an alternative to the current food support systems available today.

Unlike foodbanks, larders and community shops, there is no limit, no set system by which people must follow. It is a “normal” store where people shop and choose their goods in a regular way according to their likes, dislikes, dietary needs and budgets.

Example:

If you have five people shopping at S-Mart, one could be shopping with us because they want to support the community that they live in and because they know we are a social enterprise, are fully invested knowing profits go back into the community.

Another may choose to shop at S-Mart because they love a bargain, (who doesn’t want to see their money go further?)

One may want to prevent food from going to waste and in turn help the environment.

The fourth person may be coming to the end of the month and finding their finances a little bit tight and shopping at S-Mart helps alleviate the stress and worry associated with that and the 5th person may be experiencing financial and food insecurity and by shopping at S-Mart, they maximise their incomes and reduce the risk of falling into crisis.

We often find there is a sixth or indeed that all customers encapsulate all of the above and therefore S-Mart is the ideal model which supports all in our communities.

Support from the community

We work with local farms, producers, growers and businesses and have incredible community buy-in to what we are trying to achieve.

Every year we are kindly donated fruit and veg that people have grown in their own gardens to be passed on to the wider community.

How to Join

S-Mart has it’s own website where you can register and become a member. Membership is open to all and is available for £5 per year.

The button below will take directly to the S-Mart membership page:

Become a Member

Follow S-Mart on Facebook

@SocialSupermarketAngus