Instead of pricing items with cash, the Portobello supermarket in Modena assigns points. The Italian market was launched in order to provide needy citizens with food. Points are issued to residents according to levels of financial difficulty. The more needy you are, the more points you get.
The scheme was built to help feed the poor while ensuring that distributed resources weren't being used on non-necessities. The program also works to be self sustaining by requiring recipients to either volunteer at the supermarket or do so elsewhere in the city.
With extremely high unemployment rates in Italy, this program was built to support the influx in welfare requests. The poor economic environment in Italy means that the government has more mouths to feed. By creating a communal supermarket, the citizens of Modena are receiving a place to receive support while helping the community.
What's Driving This Trend
- Cashless Pricing
- The use of points instead of cash to determine the price of items.
- Community Supermarkets
- The establishment of communal supermarkets to support and provide for financially challenged citizens.
- Self-sustaining Programs
- Creating programs that require recipients to volunteer in exchange for access to resources.
Who This Affects Most
- Retail
- Opportunities for retailers to implement cashless pricing systems.
- Nonprofit
- Nonprofit organizations can explore the concept of community supermarkets to address food insecurity.
- Social Services
- Social service agencies can develop self-sustaining programs that engage recipients in community service.
