Affordable Food Clubs provide a dignified source of low-cost, nutritious food for individuals and families struggling to make ends meet. Unlike food banks, which offer vital crisis support, Affordable Food Clubs provide sustained and longer term support, enabling people to regularly access a wide range of groceries. Members make a small, manageable financial contribution for these groceries, currently averaging £7 per visit, and take home a basket of items with an estimated value of around £25. This model of provision safeguards and improves people’s freedom of choice and their dignity of purchase.
The Feeding Britain network includes a wide variety of Affordable Food Clubs: from large social supermarkets in town centres, to mobile greengrocers, to small pantries rooted in local neighbourhoods. Many Clubs are co-located with services such as welfare and housing advice, debt support, cooking sessions, and social activities. These Clubs have become an integral part of their communities, offering not just food, but also friendship, connection, and support – with most providing a welcoming space to sit down, share a cup of tea, and catch up with friends.
As of April 2025, Feeding Britain supports 426 Affordable Food Clubs across 133 regional and local partnerships, representing a growth of nearly 700% since 2021. This rapid expansion reflects both the rising need for food support and the growing recognition of Affordable Food Clubs as a sustained and dignified model of provision. More than 112,000 households now access Affordable Food Clubs across the Feeding Britain network. Almost half of these households contain at least one child, and we estimate that the network collectively supports around 111,000 children, nearly 30,000 of whom are under the age of five. Each week, nearly 42,000 people access an Affordable Food Club, gaining access to nutritious food and vital support in a warm, welcoming environment.
To provide households with a broad and healthy selection of food, Affordable Food Clubs source from a diverse range of suppliers, including wholesale, retail, and surplus sources. A key part of their model is the redistribution of surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. On average, each Club redistributes approximately 370 kilos of surplus food per week, equivalent to nearly 20 tonnes annually per club. Across the entire Feeding Britain network, this amounts to more than 8,320 tonnes of surplus food saved from waste over the past year. Alongside surplus redistribution, many Affordable Food Clubs also purchase in bulk to reduce costs and maintain consistent stock of staple items, and work in partnership with local growers, bakers, and small businesses to provide fresh, locally sourced food. This blend of sourcing strategies provides both choice and quality for members, while contributing to a fairer and more sustainable food system.
“Because of the market I am way less stressed about making ends meet. It is a massive support to my life and has allowed me to rest a bit easier knowing certain things are provided for.”
– Guest A, C3 Impact Community Market Shop, Cambridge