The People's Supermarket

The People's Supermarket has been developed by progressive chef Arthur Dawson Potts, the man behind sustainable foody initiative Acorn House. The idea is to offer people a new way to buy food, and, ultimately give the customer a say, a stake and involvement in the way things are done and run. But why?

The idea is that if people actually own the supermarket, the profits don't go anywhere else but back into the business - and this way the cost of the food will be lower than anywhere else.

To get involved you join up, receive a 10% discount and you volunteeer to work 1 shift a month, which effectively means working on the shop floor and serving your fellow supermarket owners.

With my retail hat on - the store's communication is enthusiastic and certainly demonstrates the energy of something new, local and relevant. The environment is basic but with moments of retail theatre for fresh produce (more fresh categories than you'd expect). Particularly cheeky is the recycled Tesco packing palettes taking centre stage at the front, merchandising seasonal fruit and vegetables.

The store is two weeks old, and already has 203 signed up members, product assortment will grow as the offer begins to reflect the needs and wants of local people (members can currently put packaging of items they want to buy into a box). Is it, as one eager member suggests, the 'new Tesco'? - well, if it's about ownership, pride and community, as well as price, then it might just succeed.

The first People's Supermarket is on Lambs Conduit Street in Bloomsbury, London.

www.peoplessupermarket.org