Across the UK the squeeze of the cost of living crisis is being felt as inflation pushes the price up on petrol pumps, supermarket shelves and energy bills. But Superdrug has announced a new scheme that will help customers access affordable health and beauty items.
The retailer has partnered up with anti-poverty campaigner Jack Monroe to launch their ‘Shop Smart’ scheme, to help customers navigate the growing cost of living crisis.
A survey by the high street store found that 80 per cent of their customers admitted to needing to switch to cheaper brands. Last month, Superdrug announced their Price Freeze Promise, ensuring low and affordable prices on 100 products in store.
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This week, Superdrug added a further 30 essentials to the scheme, meaning that the selected own brand products across personal care, beauty and healthcare won’t see a price increase for at least a year.
In partnership with former foodbank user Jack, the Shop Smart campaign aims to help customers understand how to keep costs down across beauty and personal care routines, as hygiene poverty rises at an alarming rate across the country.
Jack said: “There’s been a lot of discussion recently around soaring energy costs and rising food bills, and the cost of toiletries and personal care essentials are also rising steeply, which leaves many people unable to afford the basics needed for personal health hygiene and dignity.
“It’s embarrassing to not be able to afford things that others might take for granted, like soap, tampons, deodorant, toothpaste and shampoo, and hygiene poverty is fast becoming a hidden impact of the Cost of Living crisis. That’s why the work Superdrug is doing here is so needed and I hope that by sharing some ‘Shop Smart’ tips together that we can help in some small way.”
As well as supporting shoppers, Superdrug is introducing a series of employee initiatives to look after the financial wellbeing of colleagues nationwide, including a minimum of 30 per cent off own brand items, and 10 per cent off branded products.
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Simon Comins, Chief Commercial Officer at Superdrug, said: “Superdrug’s vision has always been to make health and beauty accessible to all. With rising cost of living, we wanted to act quickly to ensure our colleagues are well looked after and our customers well supported.
“We don’t believe shoppers should have to compromise when it comes to their health and beauty purchases, so our Price Freeze Promise is committed for a year on 130 Own Brand essential items. Despite rising cost of goods, we also remain committed to offering all of our customers discounted Star Buys and our Health and Beautycard users, member only pricing.”
The health and beauty store has more than 100 donation bins as part of a four-year charity partnership with Beauty Banks, and to support this, the retailer is also introducing a Buy One, Bank One scheme to help increase product donations, as demand rises and the fight against hygiene poverty intensifies.
Beauty Banks co-founder Jo Jones commented: “As hygiene poverty affects young and old in neighbourhoods, schools and workplaces around the UK, Beauty Banks is fighting to make sure everyone has access to essential toiletries. The current cost of living crisis has only made a serious situation even more critical and so we’re fully behind Jack and Superdrug in the Shop Smart campaign to raise awareness and help to alleviate the impact of a distressing economic situation on those most in need”.
