Thousands of people in one part of Merseyside could have access to cheaper food among a spiralling cost of living crisis.
Food and fuel prices have soared in recent months, squeezing families already struggling to fill bellies and keep the heating on.
Now an extra 20,000 people are eligible to shop at the country's leading redistributor of surplus food and household products as Company Shop expands its membership.
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Employees, volunteers and pension recipients from registered charities across St Helens and the surrounding areas will be able to shop in the Lancots Lane store, one of the 15 Company Shop branches around the country.
Key workers, people on means-tested benefits, and employees of the fast-moving consumer goods supply chain were already eligible.
Robert Williams, St Helens store manager, said: "Charities across the UK provide an invaluable level of support to good causes and those in need and we're delighted to be able to thank them for their efforts by providing free membership to our Company Shop stores.
"Not only do our members have access to deeply discounted high-quality food and household products, which helps to stretch their budgets further, but shopping with us also delivers an environmental benefit as well, with our members helping to prevent millions of perfectly good products from needlessly going to waste."
Company Shop said it saved more than 28,000 tonnes of food from going to waste last year.
Its 200,000 members saved a combined £64 million by shopping at its stores, a spokesperson claimed.
Stores sell items with minor errors like wonky labelling, or that have seasonal packaging, meaning they're still good to eat but can't be sold in major retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury's, M&S and Morrisons.
Company Shop is owned by the Company Shop Group, which also has three Community Shop branches in the Liverpool City Region, providing discounted food, development courses and a community kitchen for people in deprived areas.
Eligible shoppers can apply for free online at: www.companyshop.co.uk/charity. Once approved, they’ll need to bring their most recent payslip or proof of pension, proof of name and address such as a utility bill, and photo ID to the membership desk at the St Helens store to receive their membership card.
