Edinburgh NHS worker fights against closure of 'lifeline' discount supermarket

An Edinburgh NHS worker has spoken out against the potential closure of a shop that serves as a "lifeline" to many.

The woman has started a petition to keep the Edinburgh Company Shop, after bosses said they were considering the possibility. The shop, which sits in Wester Hailes, offers heavily discounted groceries that would otherwise go to waste.

The outlet sells food and home items that have been handed over from other supermarkets, as they approach their expiry date or are surplus. The 50-year-old said the shop - which opened in 2020 - is "life changing" for those in the area struggling to make ends meet.

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Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she said: “I’m one of the many shoppers who use Edinburgh Company Shop, I didn’t realise that it was closing until a few days ago.

"I was following the trail on Facebook, and I phoned the Company Shop to confirm and they said they were in talks about it. Then I saw someone suggested setting up a petition, and I thought if nobody else is going to do it then I will.

"I think it’s really important, it really will affect people if that shop closes."

She felt the shop is even more important amid the cost of living crisis. She added: "People really need this shop, especially nowadays because of what’s going on with food prices.

"Also, the food wastage - that shop gets food that is close to its expiry date and wouldn’t be bought otherwise. So that’s just going to be more food wastage, when having that shop is helping people be able to eat good quality food at a reasonable price.

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"The shop gets in stock from various supermarkets that are overstocked or have excess, and they pay a very small price for it, which comes back to the customer. I’ve noticed a massive difference in my weekly food bill when I shop at the Company Shop, than if I were to use one of the main supermarkets. It’s quite a big difference.

"Going to the Company Shop, I can still eat the same quality of food that I was eating before just at a lower price."

In 2022, Edinburgh Live took £10 to the store and came out with a huge haul consisting of 29 items including essentials and cupboard items. In March 2024 we also told how the Edinburgh branch saved shoppers a total of £4million over the last 12 months.

Should the Company Shop in the capital close, the nearest store would in be in Renfrew - almost two hours in the car from Edinburgh's city centre. The campaigner also felt the neighbourhood in specific is hugely benefitting from the shop.

She told us: "For the area it is in, there’s a lot of people in Wester Hailes that are struggling. It’s smack bang in the middle of a lot of poverty.

“For people in that area I think it is genuinely life changing. Single mothers and families benefit so much, they’re able to eat properly - their health is going to go down as well.

“It’s tackling food wastage, it’s incredible. A lot of my friends who have kids use the company shop. I know for a fact that if it closed, they wouldn’t be able to have the same quality of food and feed their families in the same way.

"They always have things like toilet paper, and small things that don’t cost loads but when you add it up over a year it really does. If people can get these things at a reduced cost, it’s not as bad for them."

The woman said that while she has seen a huge difference in her weekly costs from using the Company Shop, she feels it must be massively beneficial for those living on benefits or with larger families.

She continued: "I can’t even imagine if someone is on benefits how they’re living just now. I work for the NHS and it really is a lifeline.

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“Also the people who work there, what is going to happen to them? It’s quite a big shop and there’s a lot of staff. All in all, it’s just a really bad situation. I don’t even know why they would think of closing it.”

A spokesperson for Company Shop said: "We can confirm that due to a number of factors, we are currently considering the potential closure of our Edinburgh store.

"At this point, no firm decisions regarding the future of the store have been taken and we have entered into a consultation period with our employees. We appreciate that this period of uncertainty will be difficult for all those affected, and we will continue to support our team members at the Edinburgh store.

"For now, it’s business as usual at the store. We would like to extend our thanks to our colleagues and partners for their ongoing dedication to Company Shop and our customers."

Speaking on the petition, Kerry added: "For numerous families in our community, the Edinburgh Company Shop is much more than just a store. It is a lifeline, a meeting place, and a symbol of our neighbourhood's identity. The store’s prospective closure threatens to destabilise our community economy and displace the livelihood of many.

"The potential human impact is undeniable as well. Countless families in Edinburgh rely on this shop, not only for their livelihood but also as part of their daily living. Its closure will undoubtedly create a void that is not easily filled."

You can find out more about Kerry's petition to save the Edinburgh Company Shop here.