Thrifty shoppers flock to ‘gone past best’ warehouse stacked high with food for less than half price

Thrifty shoppers are flocking to a warehouse which sells food which has ‘gone past its best’ for less than half of its original price.

The unique store, called Roger’s Wholesale in Stockport, has enticed excited customers with cheap deals and they have visited the warehouse in huge numbers on its opening day today.

Masked shoppers queued up to pick up bargains from pallets stacked high with food – which is still perfectly good to eat.

The warehouse – on the Bredbury Park Industrial Estate in Stockport – is the fifth of its kind, with Rogers venues already operating across the country in Poole, Plymouth, Southampton and Bilston. 

Thrifty shoppers are flocking to a warehouse today which sells food which has ‘gone past its best’ for less than half of its original price

Roger's Wholesale in Stockport has enticed excited customers with cheap deals and they have visited the warehouse in huge numbers

Roger’s Wholesale in Stockport has enticed excited customers with cheap deals and they have visited the warehouse in huge numbers

Masked shoppers queued up today to pick up bargains from pallets stacked high with food - which is still perfectly good to eat

Masked shoppers queued up today to pick up bargains from pallets stacked high with food – which is still perfectly good to eat

Many shoppers loaded huge crates of food and drink into trolleys as they walked through the warehouse today

Many shoppers loaded huge crates of food and drink into trolleys as they walked through the warehouse today

The store specialises in the sale of items which have gone beyond their Best Before dates.

The brand’s unique model means it offers some of the lowest prices available whilst preventing enormous amounts of food waste going to landfill.

In the past, openings of the warehouse stores have been huge events, but celebrations were tempered this weekend amid the Covid-19 crisis.

However shoppers wearing masks and socially distancing from one another piled full of food and drink high as they browsed the aisles of the huge warehouse.  

In the past, openings of the warehouse stores have been huge events, but celebrations were tempered this weekend amid the Covid-19 crisis

In the past, openings of the warehouse stores have been huge events, but celebrations were tempered this weekend amid the Covid-19 crisis

In the past, openings of the warehouse stores have been huge events, but celebrations were tempered this weekend amid the Covid-19 crisis

Shoppers piled their trolleys high with food and drinks as they snapped up the bargain prices at the warehouse

Shoppers piled their trolleys high with food and drinks as they snapped up the bargain prices at the warehouse 

A man places a crate of Cola on a trolley during the opening day of Rogers Wholesale, a supermarket which only sells food that's past its Best Before date

A man places a crate of Cola on a trolley during the opening day of Rogers Wholesale, a supermarket which only sells food that’s past its Best Before date 

Shoppers milled through the aisles of the warehouse having queued up to be among the first to shop in the new warehouse store

Shoppers milled through the aisles of the warehouse having queued up to be among the first to shop in the new warehouse store 

The brand's unique model means it offers some of the lowest prices available whilst preventing enormous amounts of food waste going to landfill.

The brand's unique model means it offers some of the lowest prices available whilst preventing enormous amounts of food waste going to landfill.

The brand’s unique model means it offers some of the lowest prices available whilst preventing enormous amounts of food waste going to landfill

Mark King, 46, managing director of the store, previously revealed he launched the brand after getting ‘annoyed at food waste.’

He explained: ‘I myself hit hard times and had lost my job through no fault of my own and did not have much money.

‘I was struggling to afford to feed myself even though I had no kids or family. 

‘People who are homeless are covered by good charities and get a lot of help from supermarkets. But no-one seemed to be helping the squeezed middle, the large families, the just about managing.

Shoppers browse the store during the opening day of Rogers Wholesale, a supermarket which only sells food that's past its Best Before date

Shoppers browse the store during the opening day of Rogers Wholesale, a supermarket which only sells food that’s past its Best Before date

The store in Stockport today is the fifth of its kind to be opened by the company, which was founded by Mark King, 46,

The store in Stockport today is the fifth of its kind to be opened by the company, which was founded by Mark King, 46,

The store in Stockport today is the fifth of its kind to be opened by the company, which was founded by Mark King, 46,  

What’s the difference between a ‘Best before’ and a ‘Use by’ date? 

The ‘Best Before’ date relates to food quality. Food can be sold, redistributed or consumed after this date but it may lose taste, texture or color but that virtually never happens with the superb packaging our food comes in these days.

The ‘Use by’ date relates to food safety and these items are normally meat, fish and unpasteurised cheese. These cannot be sold, redistributed or consumed after this date as they could then make you ill.

‘With all the credit and benefit changes people were getting squeezed. 

‘I thought there had to be a way of changing that. 

‘I came up with the idea with Richard Hayton who had a spare warehouse space Wareham.

‘In just over a year we have opened three stores.’

He explained: ‘We work solely with distributors and manufacturers and don’t deal with supermarkets at all.

‘The best before date is about the quality after that date with a warning it might lose texture, taste and colour. 

‘But there is nothing wrong with consuming it at all.’ 

Explaining the success of the company so far, he added: ‘We sell nothing fresh or any alcohol as we want it to be a family friendly business.

‘It benefits large families with kids in general on low incomes. There is two sides. 

‘Those manufacturers know if I did not sell these products they would go into landfill.

‘It also helps brands get their name out there.

Rogers’ new Manchester social media page has already racked up nearly 5,5000 likes since appearing online.

The retailer works with distributors and manufacturers to get huge quantities of food and drink and sells it on at a discounted price

The retailer works with distributors and manufacturers to get huge quantities of food and drink and sells it on at a discounted price 

Shoppers donned face coverings as they browsed the aisles of the mega discount warehouse store today

Shoppers donned face coverings as they browsed the aisles of the mega discount warehouse store today