Birmingham supermarket owner on 'struggle' in one of most deprived areas of city

A Birmingham supermarket owner has revealed what it's like operating in one of the city's most deprived wards amid the cost of living crisis. The owner of Pak Supermarket in Small Heath revealed a rise in shoplifting at the store.

They are also helpless when customers are unhappy with their price hikes, often bewildered by their shopping's total amount. It is no surprise considering data reveals shoplifting offences have skyrocketed in the West Midlands in the last year.

Yet Pak Supermarket, like many local businesses, admit times are hard and that criminals are just desperate. Owner Janghez Hussain, 29, still finds time to supply food to Green Lane Masjid and Community Centre's revamped foodbank The Pantry.

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GLMCC also admitted Small Heath's poverty was worsening hence the foodbank's makeover, Janghez shares his mission to feed the hungry residents of one of the city's most deprived wards.

He said: "It's getting worse. We see first hand the current price increase of items, the basket shop has increased from 30 to 40 per cent which is a large amount.

"We are seeing the shopping experience and how their spending habits have changed. People cannot afford what they used to and prices are rising, it is hard.

"We had issues with customers coming to the till, everything gets scanned and it's more than what they were willing to spend. We work with the community so we will give a good will gesture and let them have an item of necessity.

"We work with other charities in Birmingham and abroad, if we can help anybody in store we are more than happy. Theft is on the rise as well and people we catch are stuck and don't have the means to pay for items.

"We work with the police on this but we try to help."

Over 24,000 shoplifting offences took place in the past year, according to West Midlands Police figures. A major factor in the increase of shoplifting offences is the cost-of-living crisis according to experts.

Coupled with rising poverty in Birmingham is why GLMCC re-built their foodbank to accommodate those struggling in the ward. The Mosque's CEO Dr Abdul-Haqq introduced a shopping experience where users could put food in baskets and scan them at a till.

The goal to give dignity to users and offer healthier options to encourage home cooking among families. Janghez continued: "We are the local business closest to the food bank and provide the goods on a weekly basis.

"Donations from us are also included and we have been working with them for a three-four years. It is much more efficient and we are across the road and see the queues here every week. That queue doesn't stop and we deliver by the pallet load, several per week.

"If they need healthier options we are happy to provide that."