Social stores run by Caritas and the Red Cross provide food and other necessities to people that may not have the financial means to visit a regular supermarket. Individuals currently going through partial unemployment may also resort to the offer during the pandemic.
In Mersch roughly 150 families depend on the social store. The Red Cross runs eight stores, Caritas a further four. These 12 stores in total were able to support hundreds of people in the country during the health crisis.
At the start of the pandemic, Luxembourg's centbutteker were forced to shut due to panic buying. Centbutteker are low-priced, social grocery store run by volunteers. It is supported by bakeries, supermarkets and small shops which provide surplus food that is perfectly fresh, but cannot be sold in regular supermarkets. Their closing meant that the stores run by Caritas and the Red Cross had an increase in customers.
Prices in social stores are roughly a third of the regular supermarket value.
Video in Luxembourgish
