Five years on: A different kind of supermarket, built on dignity and choice

In the heart of Wellington is a supermarket where the checkout works a little differently. 

Groceries are scanned. Bags are packed. But no-one reaches for a wallet. 

Five years on from opening, the Wellington City Mission’s social supermarket at Whakamaru is still supporting thousands of people with food, while offering something just as important, dignity, choice and a chance to shop in a way many take for granted. 

Set up in partnership with the Wellington City Mission and Foodstuffs North Island, the social supermarket has now supported nearly 25,000 people. 

Instead of being handed a pre-packed food parcel, people come in and shop for themselves. Fresh produce, meat, pantry staples - the things their household actually needs.  

Each family gets a points allocation based on how many people are in their family, and every item has a points value. Period products, pet food and short-dated items are available for zero points. 

Wellington City Missioner Murray Edridge says that to be given a food parcel that somebody else has chosen for you doesn’t offer the same sense of choice.  

“Here, people can choose what they like without worrying about whether they can pay. That’s a simple thing, but it matters.  We see a lot of tears in the supermarket, but they’re good tears.” 

For Foodstuffs North Island, it’s about putting supermarket know-how to work in the community. 

Foodstuffs Head of Social Supermarkets, Willa Hand, says it comes down to doing what the co-op does every day, just in a different setting. 

“This is about applying our retail expertise in a way that works for people who need a bit of extra support. A supermarket is a familiar place. It lets people choose for themselves, and that makes a real difference.” 

From day one, Foodstuffs helped get the store up and running, from the fit-out and shelving through to stocking the shelves. It continues to support how the store operates today. 

New World Newtown - just up the road - has backed the supermarket year-round and stepping up when it counts, especially at Christmas and Easter. 

Five years on, demand hasn’t eased. 

The social supermarket now supports around 5,000 people each year and is open six days a week. In some recent weeks, up to 160 whānau have come through the doors. 

Edridge says there’s no single type of person needing support. 

“We see families who are doing everything they can, but one unexpected bill means there’s nothing left for food that week,” he says. 

“It’s often temporary, but in that moment, this place really matters.” 

What started in Wellington is now a movement, with 13 social supermarkets operating across the North Island in partnership with Foodstuffs and local community organisations. 

For Foodstuffs, that comes back to keeping things local and practical. 

“Local organisations know their people. We bring the supermarket side, the systems, the supply chain, the day-to-day running. Put that together and you’ve got something that works,” Hand says. 

Behind the scenes, it takes a lot to keep the doors open in Wellington. More than 100 volunteers have clocked up over 17,000 hours since opening, alongside ongoing fundraising and donated goods. It costs around $500,000 a year to run, but shoppers are never asked to pay. 

Edridge is clear on why. 

“Any cost creates a barrier,” he says. “Everything we do has to be as respectful and as accessible as possible.” 

Back on the shop floor, another trolley rolls out the door. 

It looks like any other supermarket shop - and that’s exactly the point. 

An everyday experience, made possible by a community organisation, a local store and a New Zealand-owned co-operative working together, putting choice back where it belongs.