Supermarkets for the Poor: The Success Plan?

First, It was Poor Doors- now its "Poor Supermarkets" or its more PC name: Community shops. 

In principle, I fully support the idea of community supermarkets - taking surplus food that's been donated by large supermarkets [Corporates; who control food - price - more importantly profits] and then slashing the prices. It sounds far better, than its other destination - landfill or animal feed. 

This is a simple, yet effective plan and that is why more and more, voluntary and community led groups, are battling back, creating community shops, cafe's, gardens etc, which, in turn Empower people and communities - an example being

The Leeds cafe that has fed 10,000 people, using 20 tonnes of unwanted food – and started a worldwide movement

However, this particular 'community shop', is actually: a 'Company Shop'. 

John Marren, chairman of Company Shop, said: 

"Community Shop is tackling the problem of surplus food, whilst giving it real social purpose".

'Retailers and manufacturers taking part in the scheme include Marks & Spencer, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, The Co-operative, Ocado, Innocent, Brake Brothers, Nestlé and Muller.

The scheme, the first of its kind in the UK, is backed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson'.

Both, food waste and poverty are massive issues at present. In Britain, around 15 million tonnes of food is wasted each year and 15 million people are living below the minimum income standard – three million more than in 2008.

However, the media and politics of today are far more obsessed with creating a dangerous brand of stigma politics: shame immigrants, the poor [both working and non] and those will illnesses or disabilities. 

First they suggested Pre-paid benefit cards - now they cast the stigma net of Orwellian double-speak, even further. The scheme will force you to enrol on a government scheme, called "The Success Plan".

'They must also enrol on a tailored professional development programme – called The Success Plan – which aims to improve their confidence and help them find jobs'.

Now, opening a supermarket, with discounted produce isn't new, but [once again a mighty Orwellian but], specifically aiming it at those on benefits; attaching a government backed scheme to it, and naming it the The Success Plan - is without doubt, both crass and morally repulsive.  

When thinking of Britain today, one is reminded of the Victorian times...and this appears to meet the credentials: a new nouveau riche plan: neo-victorian in design. The article speaks of 'a Company shop': this sounds a lot like the old 'Truck' system, used by mine owners in the 1800's; as a system whereby workers were paid in goods - a form of company bondage, but mostly, it's just further stigmatisation of the poor.  

Real social purpose, would be reclaiming the corporate land --owned by the large supermarkets, which remains unused - and using it for the common good, growing crops and small animals, and in doing so, members of the local community, be they, unemployed, dis-labeled citizens, pensioners, parents and children, could reconnect with the necessity of life: food, and secondly - community.

A further indication of Britain degenerating back into Victorian times, or even worse neo-victorian - think the workhouse - is the government workfare scheme - which doesn't work, and actually prevents you finding work. Recently, Chris Hedges interviewed Noam Chomsky, and they discussed the Globalised system: where most of the working class are now service workers [modern slaves], which is capitalism reverting back to a Dickensian economic system: 

Finally. I can see one benefit of all the aforementioned neo-liberal policies: free slave labour for the corporations - who own and control the plutocrats - who vote these changes in - with no public mandate.

Must go, the 'company shop' is calling for dinner.