Community shops: a better form of business 2020

This state of the sector report from the Plunkett Foundation, funded by Power to Change, shows community shops thriving and making a significant contribution to community development. In 2019:

• 12 new shops opened
• 372 community shops were trading in the UK by the end of the year
• The total share capital raised from their communities by newly opening shops was £452,500 from over 2,000 new members
• Community shops had an average £156,000 p.a. turnover, representing an estimated £58 million annual turnover for the sector
• 202 community shops offer postal services
• An estimated 225 full-time and 450 part-time staff were employed within the community shop sector
• Averaging at around 20 volunteers per shop, the sector has a workforce of approximately 7,000 volunteers
• The majority of community shops have between 50 and 250 members/shareholders
• The long-term survival rate of community shops was 92.5%