BBCFamilies on a council estate claim that a new “social supermarket” will assist them in meeting their financial needs.
The shop at North Bransholme Community Centre sells surplus food, with packs of fruit, vegetables and bread costing as little as 20p a time.
Anyone living in the area, receiving means-tested benefits, and applying for a free membership can use it.
On its opening day this month, hundreds of people visited the store to buy food at about a third of the cost charged by most supermarkets, with bosses estimating it could save a family more than £200 a month.
Kirsty Armstrong, a mother of two, said the store took the pressure off the worry of doing a weekly food shop.
“Even though you work, it can still be really hard just to buy the simplest of things, like fruit.
“I’ve spent about £6 and I’ve got bread and fruit, and I am thinking about stuff in my basket that can be kept frozen.”
James Trott, 67, was one of the first customers through the doors and plans to use the shop regularly.
“It helps me as a pensioner because I have to pay for gas, electricity, water, rent, and council tax, which makes it really hard for everyone on the estate who is receiving benefits,” he said
The prices at other shops would have been double.
“I’ve just got a tin of beans for 60p; they would have been double in another shop.”
The Community Shop Group, a social enterprise, has opened the store as the 15th of its kind across the UK.
Food industry partners donate products from surplus stock, which results from overstocking or seasonal packaging. All are still in use to date.
Gary Stott, the executive chairman, said as well as supporting people in the Bransholme area, it was helping to tackle food waste.
“Surplus food does occur and we can take that in and we can relabel it and get that on sale,” Mr Stott said.
“We have a retail store that offers 600 product lines, with the average basket spend being about 30% of the retail price, allowing families to save £212 a month on their shopping bills.”
“Even though we are a small convenience store, 30% of our basket is fruit and vegetables. That means families can come and make really healthy choices at an affordable price.”
The group said profits from the shop would be reinvested in a community hub, which aims to support members in learning new skills.
Meanwhile, a community kitchen and cafe sells breakfasts and lunches for £1.50, along with free children’s meals all year round.
Carol Redfern and her mum were among those enjoying refreshments.
She said, “To be able to come here and get quality food cheaper, it means a lot.
“My mum lives with me; she is disabled, so we are not on a lot of money.
“You can come here to eat, and it’s brilliant that the kids can eat for free.”
Figures from Trussell, the anti-poverty charity, suggest more than 700,000 people in Yorkshire and Humber have faced hunger in the past year due to a lack of money, with one in 10 people in the region living in households classified as “food insecure.”
David Daniels, who is 73 and receives disability benefits, described the community store as “a must in this day and age”.
“I think financially it will help many people,” he said. “It takes away from food banks as well.
“People can pay reduced prices and you can get quality goods.”
