Cape Town – A Plettenberg Bay Spar has opened a section in its store to promote the products from local businesses that are unable to trade under the lockdown regulations.
This comes as the Palm Grove Spar in Durbanville is removing all stationery and burger patties from its shelves for the benefit of neighbouring businesses, PenCafe stationers and restaurant RocoMamas.
Owner Theunis Muller said on Facebook: "My SPAR, Palm Grove Durbanville, has made the decision to willingly close both its stationery and frozen burger sections… to help neighbouring stores survive the Covid-19 pandemic. With these sections closed other stores experience more demand for these items.
“As business owners, now more than ever, we need to support each other.”
The Beacon Isle Kwikspar & Tops put up a sign in the store that read: “Support our Local Businesses! All items on this table are supplied by local restaurants. They are still unable to welcome you into their businesses.
"Kwik Spar will not add any markup to these products, and all sales will go directly to them.”
In a Facebook post, the store said: "We are stocking a large range of products from Zanzos, Ouland Royale, Roost and Clare."
A Facebook user said in response: "Well done Beacon Isle Kwik Spar Plettenberg Bay! Thinking out of the box and helping surrounding small businesses. That's the way to go."
Another social media user said: "Now this is how to do it. Challenge to all shop owners out there!"
"Well done Beacon Isle Kwik Spar! Very inspiring!" a Facebook user commented.
Meanwhile, the Shoprite Group has thanked its customers in a statement on Wednesday for reaching the R -million mark in funds raised for the Solidarity Fund.
This was achieved through big and small donations via the Group’s Act for Change Fund, a till point donation facility.
In appreciation, the Shoprite Group matched its customers’ contributions with another R1 million, bringing the total raised for the Solidarity Fund to R3 million.
“Our customers are our greatest inspiration and it is their generosity that spurred us on to donate a further R1 million to the Solidarity Fund,” commented Pieter Engelbrecht, CEO of the Shoprite Group.
He added that the group’s customer generosity has surpassed all expectations, with contributions from rural supermarkets reaching unprecedented levels.
“Every contribution counts and we are deeply grateful to each and every one of our customers who made a donation in this time of great need and dwindling resources. By working together, we will overcome this crisis.”