Adelaide’s first free supermarket has opened as the community struggles to put food on the table. The fully functional supermarket is stocked with produce that would otherwise have gone to waste. 

The stock – which includes everything from fresh meat and fish, fruit and veg, pantry staples and household items – has been saved from the supply chain and made available for people in need. The only difference between this supermarket and a conventional one is that when you head to the checkout, you don’t need to worry about the bill. The initiative is spearheaded by food rescue organisation, OzHarvest.

What is OzHarvest?

Founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn AO, for 20 years OzHarvest has been saving surplus food from ending up in landfill and delivering it to charities that feed people in need. 

In an interview with ABC, Khan said, “In my 20 years of running OzHarvest, I have never seen the demand as great. The cost of living, [and] results of post-COVID is biting into ordinary working people.”

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Who can shop at food banks?

OzHarvest SA manager Rachel Hibble explained that the demographic of people coming to food charities has shifted so much that the new supermarket has curated opening hours to ensure no one misses out.

“We’re opening after hours on Wednesdays to really look after the newest cohort of food relief seekers and they’re full-time workers. Couples that are holding down full-time jobs but are just struggling to pay rent, pay the bills.”

According to the 2023 Food Bank Hunger Report:

• 3.7 million households in Australia struggled to put food on their table this year, with 77 percent of those households experiencing food insecurity for the first time
• Demand for food relief is higher than ever. Food charities that OzHarvest support reported a 75 percent increase in the last six months. 67 percent of these charities cannot meet the current demand, and 30 percent of the people the charities support are seeking food relief for the first time
• 60 percent of all food-insecure households have someone in paid work
• The number one reason Australians are struggling to feed themselves is the cost of living crisisRelated story: SecondBite ambassador Silvia Colloca shares her favourite ways to cut down on waste

The purpose of a free supermarket is not only to supply food, household and pantry basics but to restore dignity to an otherwise stigmatised experience of accepting charity. Grabbing a basket, shopping for your groceries, meal planning and interacting with volunteer staff goes a long way in normalising an experience that may be new for a lot of OzHarvest food seekers.

Similar concepts like food banks and community pantries have been growing in popularity and demand, as the relentless cost of living crisis continues and vulnerable people slip through the cracks. To get involved, find your nearest food bank, or see more of the amazing work that OzHarvest is doing, head to the website here.

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