A kind-hearted young woman is taking on the supermarket giants by opening up her own store to help the poor – and is selling most items for just 25 PENCE.
The Bargain Brand Food outlet is stocked from floor to ceiling with food which is not up to the standard of the supermarket giants so she can sell it for virtually nothing.
Most of her stock comes from the main chains, but they choose not to sell it due to manufacturing defects, such as damaged packaging or incorrect labels.
Charlotte Danks, 20, of Newquay, Cornwall, launched the venture five months ago, to give cash-strapped people in her local community a more viable option then just going to food banks.
The items stocked in Charlotte’s store, which include fresh meat, dairy, tinned foods and even hair dye, are coming to the end of their sell-by date, but are still well within their use-by date.
Most items sell for just 25 pence, with the most expensive being a two-litre tub of curry powder, at £2.50.
The shop has been so successful that Charlotte is now planning on opening two more in St Austell and Penzance.
Charlotte said: “Most of what we sell is stuff that’s coming up to it’s sell-by date, but that’s not the same as its expiry date.
“Everything is perfectly fine, but the supermarket has to get it off its shelves and it would otherwise end up straight in landfill.”
“It’s really taken off. Hopefully in the next six months I’ll have another two shops, which I’m planning to open in St Austell and Penzance.”
“We sell a mixture of things from tinned foods, to crisps, sweets, dried foods, fresh meat and dairy products, toiletries, hair dye, cat food – pretty much whatever I can get my hands on; it changes every week.
“I sell the majority of items for 25p. The most expensive thing in the shop costs £2.50, and that’s for a two-litre tub of curry powder.
“I’ve made a lot of friends, I didn’t realise how many people would use it, but we’re open to everyone.
“We’re different to a foodbank because people can choose what they want, and it’s all branded stock.”
“Weekends are usually the busiest because people like to come after work, but we get our regulars who come in throughout the week.
“It’s just a case of trying to keep on top of everything, but there’s a high demand for what we sell and people want new things.”
