Community Shops – a letter for you to send

Plunkett Foundation Chief Executive James Alcock has written an open letter to the groceries industry highlighting the threat to supply for community shops, and calling for support for both these shops and the vulnerable residents they serve, during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Specifically, the letter calls for

• reduced minimum orders,
• priority deliveries to rural and more isolated community shops,
• smaller, more frequent deliveries,
• implementation of rules in cash and carry stores to prevent panic buying and unfair distribution of stock.

He has also made the letter available as a template for those within community shops to send to local MPs, to urge them to take whatever action they can to ensure this important matter is highlighted across government and the groceries industry so that action is taken. The template letter is available to download on this page

Community shops have a huge role to play in provisioning residents who cannot get to – or need to avoid – larger supermarkets. We would echo James’ call for this action and urge community shops to add their voice by sending the letter to their MP.