No margin, no profit, all products are sold at cost price in this grocery store in the depths of Corrèze

A grocery store in a village of 300 inhabitants is not profitable enough, so to still have a local business, the residents of Orliac-de-Bar have created a citizen grocery store and take turns volunteering to run it.

At 83 years old, Paulette Mas is one of the 250 inhabitants of Orliac-de-Bar. In this small village in Corrèze, she no longer needs to take her car to do her shopping. Now, a grocery store is located next to her home.

The old village grocery store closed sixty years ago. Bringing it back to life was Maxime Lamarque's dream. In an old barn lent by the town hall, this father and other residents set up the citizen grocery store. An association in which thirty-five families are involved. “You have to give a little of your time to pick up the products and place the orders. The idea is to be a consumer, a grocer, a volunteer, it's all of that at the same time.” says the citizen grocer.

For the mayor, it’s a satisfaction, an intergenerational place where bonds are forged : “it brings relationships, it allows people to meet every week, on Saturday morning during the opening, it recreates social ties and it brings a plus, because we finally have a grocery store on site where we can find everything that is necessary to live.”

Here, there is no margin or profit, all products are sold at cost price. They are also organic, fair trade or carefully selected from local artisans.

This approach is virtuous for the planet, health and the quality of relationships between village residents. Member of the national Mon Epi network, this citizen grocery store is the third in Corrèze with Gros Chastang and Clergoux.

Tags France