One shop, three connected spaces.

Community Store, Community Hub and Community Kitchen.

What is Community Shop?

Before Community Shop was born, we had a vision – we wanted to support the UK’s most deprived communities, but we wanted to go better than simply giving out food; by providing a hand-up, not a hand-out. We created the UK’s first social supermarket but we went further than providing access to great quality, low cost food. We created thriving social hubs, cafes where members can eat at heavily discounted prices and kids eat free all year round. And hubs for development too, supporting with life-changing programmes, giving people the tools they need to power lasting, positive change. We’re so proud of our legacy, and by donating your surplus stock to us, we can continue our work to ensure thousands of families eat healthily and live well.

A supermarket like no other.

Our Community Shops are powered by surplus – kindly donated by partners, we sell them at affordable prices to our members, who typically save around £212 per month on their shopping. Thousands of families get access to healthy food, and we reinvest the revenue raised into the community through our Community Kitchens and Hubs. Plus our unique business model means that even if your donated stock can’t be directly sent to Community Shops, we can unlock the value of this surplus through our Company Shop member only stores.

Not just a place to eat.

Our Community Kitchens are more than just a café – we provide a warm and welcoming space for people to meet and eat delicious home-cooked style healthy meals cooked by our Community Kitchen chefs, at discounted prices. Plus kids eat free – at any time of year! And we don’t just serve food, we teach people to cook with our regularly run Cook Clubs.

Be the best version of you.

Community Shops’ lasting legacy comes from our Community Hubs – a space where our impact leaders deliver life-changing development programmes. Working with individuals and communities they provide them with tools they need to live well, and skills they require to get back into work.

Community Shop membership

 Community Shop membership is free and open to those who live locally to a Community Shop store and receive a means-tested benefit. If you think you may be eligible, find your nearest Community Shop and contact them directly about membership.

   

Means-tested benefits are available to people whose income and capital are below a certain level. The means-tested benefits are Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, Tax Credits (Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit), Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support, Social Fund (Sure Start Maternity Grant, Funeral Payment, Cold Weather Payment) and Universal Credit.