The new way churches are fighting food poverty

As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, Tim Wyatt takes a closer look at the rise of social supermarkets

The scene is familiar and yet different. Queues of people file into a community centre or a church hall. There are tins of baked beans and packets of pasta piled high. Cheerful volunteers bustle around, greeting regulars and taking details from newcomers. In one corner, a Citizens Advice banner has been unfurled. 

But this is not one of the hundreds of foodbanks that have sprung up over the past ten years. It’s known by lots of different names – social supermarket, community larder, local pantry – but the fundamental idea is the same, and it’s spreading fast. More and more churches and Christian charities are opening these projects to feed their neighbours, tackle poverty, reduce food waste and hopefully bring marginalised people into a kingdom-focused community.