# Charitable Cashless Supermarkets The Portobello Supermarket Replaces Cash Pricing with Points By Alexander Lam | Published 2013-05-30 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portobello-supermarket References: [springwise](http://www.springwise.com/italy-points-based-supermarket-tackle-unemployment/) & [portobellomodena.it](http://portobellomodena.it/) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fresh-thyme-markets) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/charitable-loyalty-program). The poor economic environment in Italy means that the government has more mouths to feed. By creating a [communal supermarket](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fairprice-group), the citizens of Modena are receiving a place to receive support while helping the community. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.4/10 - Popularity: 9% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Charity](https://www.trendhunter.com/charity) ## Key Themes ### 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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Consumer-Run Supermarkets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hyperburgers.md) - [Hybrid Community Supermarkets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-after-market.md) - [Food Insecurity Match Programs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nutritional-assistance.md) - [Supermarket Charity Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aldi-uk-and-neighbourly.md) - [Free Grocery Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-polymarket.md) - [Grocery Store Accessibility Models](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/selfservice-checkouts.md) - [Social Good Ready Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sainsburys-italian-style-ready-meals.md) - [Employee-Free Smart Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/teo-smart-stores.md) - [Shopping Basket Voting Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shopping-basket-voting.md)