Company Shop in Darlington extends membership to charity workers

Discount supermarket Company Shop, which offers bargain buys to people eligible for membership, has extended its criteria to include employees, volunteers and pension recipients from registered charities across Darlington.

It means about 5,000 more people will be eligible to shop at the Haughton Road store.

The shop opened last year for those employed by the emergency services, a number of key workers, and those on means-tested benefits, among others. 

Chris Neil, Darlington store manager, said: “Charities across the UK provide an invaluable level of support to good causes and those in need and we’re delighted to be able to thank them for their efforts by providing free membership to our Company Shop stores.

“Not only do our members have access to deeply discounted high-quality food and household products, which helps to stretch their budgets further, but shopping with us also delivers an environmental benefit as well, with our members helping to prevent millions of perfectly good products from needlessly going to waste.”

The supermarket, stocks food, drink and household goods that have been made ‘surplus’ from major brands and retailers and sell at about 50 per cent less than recommended retail price.

All the items sold are perfectly good to eat or use but have become surplus for reasons such as short-shelf life, wonky labelling, or seasonal packaging, and therefore otherwise may have gone to waste.

Eligible shoppers can apply for free online at: www.companyshop.co.uk/charity. 

Once approved, they’ll need to bring their most recent payslip or proof of pension, proof of name and address such as a utility bill, and photo ID to the membership desk at the Darlington store to receive their membership card.