IN a year where food prices have soared, Company Shop Dudley has revealed its members have collectively saved more than £3,955,760 on their shopping in 12 months.

The surplus redistribution organisation, Company Shop Group, has revealed record-breaking annual redistribution figures, with more than 41,445 tonnes of food and 109m products saved from going to waste in the last year alone.

Members at Company Shop Dudley, in Birmingham New Road, have helped stop 1,564 tonnes from waste by shopping at the store.

All food and products sold in the Dudley store are in date and good to eat but are deemed ‘surplus’ for various reasons – such as wonky labelling, seasonal packaging or overstock.

Company Shop, which operates 14 ‘surplus supermarkets’ across England and Scotland, has maintained its commitment to stretching the budgets of hard-working families and those in need, welcoming a further 264,000 members to its stores.

Across the year, these shoppers collectively saved over £100 million by accessing products at an average of 53 per cent off the average retail price.

Membership is open to people working in the NHS, care and emergency services, social care, prison services, British Armed Forces, the FMCG supply chain and employees and volunteers for registered charities.

Those on means-tested benefits can also benefit from membership.

Lynford Johnson, store manager at Company Shop Dudley, said: “We’re delighted to have been able to save so many people so much money in the past 12 months, particularly during these tougher times.

“Every day, our shelves are stacked with surplus products from brands that people know and love, at deeply discounted prices. This means our members can stretch their budgets further, while saving the planet too by preventing perfectly good products from going to waste.

“Membership to our store is free for those that qualify.

"We love seeing the reaction of our customers when they see the savings they’ve made, and we look forward to creating even more smiles in the months ahead.”