Co-op commits to slash “island premium” in Uist and Barra

The Co-op store in Sollas, North Uist. The supermarket chain agreed to a "bespoke" solution across Uist and Barra

A close relationship between Tagsa Uibhist and the Co-operative movement has borne double fruit this week with the Co-op’s retail business committing to major, innovative changes in response to island circumstances – including ferry cancellations.

After visits and discussions with senior Co-op personnel, the supermarket chain is to make “bespoke” provision for its four stores in Uist and Barra which will involve expanded stockpiling of essential goods to pre-empt ferry cancellations, a home delivery service and over 150 new product lines, mostly own brand and value range goods.

The first piece of good news was that Tagsa Uibhist is one of seven beneficiaries across the UK from the Co-op Foundation’s Carbon Innovation Fund. The Uist community business will receive a grant of £150,000 to support sustainable food production and efforts to “alleviate food insecurity”.

Alex Mackenzie, the local food development manager for Tagsa Uibhist, said the award “recognises and will help to scale up what we are doing at the gardens, growing sustainable food with minimum inputs” and reducing carbon-intensive practices such as the use of peat.

The Tagsa Uibhist local food market held in July was well attended

Another initiative which impressed the Co-op was the collaboration with Maclean Bakeries to produce and distribute convenience foods using local ingredients and traditional recipes. Ms Mackenzie said that these have proved “tremendously popular” and their production involves “minimal food miles”.

She said the money will “help us transform our local food system so that it works for people and the planet; ensuring sustainable local produce is both accessible and affordable to all”.

Aruna Bahia, funding and partnerships manager at the Co-op Foundation, added: “Tagsa Uibhist’s innovative approach to sustainable horticulture aligns perfectly with our commitment to building sustainable communities of the future together”.

The wider relationship with the Co-op was prompted by a survey carried out by Tagsa Uibhist two years ago as part of a “Right to Food” campaign. It centred on 17 essential items and researched their availability and cost in Uist and Barra where the Co-op is the dominant retailer. The results were startling.

Ms Mackenzie said: “What came out was that fewer than half of these items were deemed regularly accessible while, in terms of price, there was a 28 per cent island premium”. These findings received widespread publicity and attracted the attention of Co-op management.

The package which has emerged and will be announced more fully in the near future is that the Co-op nationally has “designed a quite bespoke solution for Uist and Barra” which will offer lower cost products to shoppers and also ensure that essential supplies don’t run out.

Meanwhile, Tagsa Uibhist’s next Local Food Market is scheduled for Saturday between 11 a.m and 1 p.m. at the East Camp in Balivanich. A wide range of local food producers will be represented and Uist Community Riding School will offer pony rides as well as a Craft & Tabletop market at The Caladh Trust.

There will also be quite a lot of good news to celebrate!