Social supermarket Community Shop is joining forces with national food bank operator the Trussell Trust in a new collaboration to tackle food poverty and food waste.

The partnership will be piloted in two locations over the next year in London and South Yorkshire, with the aim of reducing poverty for around 1,500 families per year. 

Community Shop was pioneered by Company Shop to get wholesome surplus food from the supply chain to people in need. Members of the store get access to food at discounted prices and they also enrol on ‘The Success Plan’, where they work with mentors to identify and address issues that are challenging in their lives.

The Trussell Trust and the Community Shop team are now actively looking for locations of approximately 20,000 square feet of space, where projects can be developed if the pilot is successful. 

John Marren, founder and chairman of Community Shop, said: “We have long admired the way that the Trussell Trust has inspired a nation to take action to tackle food poverty. When we launched Community Shop our mission was to get surplus food to the people that needed it most, whilst building stronger individuals and stronger communities. We believe that through this partnership we will be able to reach even more people and help them back on their route to independence, while tackling food waste.” 

David McAuley, chief executive of the Trussell Trust, said: “We are excited to enter into this agreement with Community Shop and I’m looking forward to exploring how the two organisations can work together. Most importantly we have a shared vision and passion for ending UK hunger and poverty through supporting communities take practical action. Our approaches to tackling poverty can complement each other, so fewer people end up needing an emergency food parcel to see them through the week.”