Cooperative supermarkets open to non-members this month

Cooperative supermarkets around Belgium have opened their doors to non-members until 15 August, continuing a tradition aimed at keeping co-op grocery stores profitable during the less busy summer months.

There are approximately 13 such co-ops participating, including six in the Brussels region. Many of the stores have been open to the public since mid-July.

Normally, only members of the cooperative can buy groceries from these store. Members either pay money or volunteer their labour behind the till.

At Bees Coop in Schaerbeek, for example, about 1,500 members work two hours and 45 minutes a month in return for the chance to shop at competitive prices.

But these stores see a dramatic decrease in traffic during the summer months, when many Belgian residents head out on holiday.

Since it is impossible for shops to sell out their entire stock in low-traffic months, they temporarily expand their customer base in an effort to help their producers, many of whom also struggle to sell their stock during the holiday period.