Fourth year in Scotland and over 28.6 million items saved from waste

Company Shop Group is marking four years since it first brought its unique surplus redistribution model to Scotland, with its two stores saving people across Renfrew and Edinburgh £30m on their bills since 2019.

Delivering positive financial, social and environmental benefits to families and businesses across Scotland and the UK, the Group handles perfectly good surplus which might otherwise go to waste and redistributes it for a fraction of the price.

After opening its first Scottish store in Renfrew at the end of 2019, and an overwhelmingly positive response from local communities and the Scottish food and drink sector, the second store opened in Edinburgh during the pandemic.

Over the four-year period alone, the business has handled and redistributed more than 28 million surplus items in Scotland. This is equivalent to preventing the waste of more than 3 million whole Scottish salmon, and 106 million Scotch pies.

As membership is open to those working in FMCG manufacturing and logistics; emergency services; social care; prison services; British Armed Forces; registered charities, and those on means-tested benefits, having access to high-quality, low-cost food and household goods has helped to stretch hard-working family budgets at a time when it’s needed most, as the cost of living continues to squeeze incomes.

By working with retailers, manufacturers and brands across Scotland and the UK, the Group helps to unlock the true potential in their surplus stock. In doing this, in four years it has returned millions back to Scottish businesses, helped them save thousands in waste collection costs whilst helping Scottish customers save money.

As just one example, the Group supports ice cream and chocolate manufacturer Mackie’s of Scotland to prevent new product development trials from creating unnecessary waste. Instead, it enables the business to maintain product quality, while remaining true to its sustainability driven, low-waste commitments.

To further its mission to create a world where no surplus products needlessly goes to waste, and to support Scottish businesses to fulfil the nation’s ambitious food waste reduction commitments, the Group is now urging more local organisations to consider their surplus for redistribution. In doing so, businesses can receive a significant financial return at an important time, alongside being responsible for positive social and environmental impact.

Similarly, as the Group continues to embed its unique offer across Scotland, it is encouraging those eligible for membership to register for free at the earliest opportunity, so that they can reap the rewards of the unbeatable prices on offer.

Owen McLellan, Managing Director of Company Shop Group, said: “Since first opening in Scotland in 2019, we have taken great pride in the partnerships we have built with businesses, and in the support that we have provided to communities and families across the regions.  

Commenting on its work with Company Shop Group, Mackie’s of Scotland Managing Director, Stuart Common, said: “We’re dead against wasting food, but the quality and consistency of our products will always come first. Company Shop offers a solution which allows us to remain true to both principles, as well as supplying a revenue stream where we would otherwise only see waste.”