Sainsbury's becomes first major supermarket to sell Big Issue as coronavirus lockdown halts street sales

The Big Issue magazine offers homeless and vulnerably housed people the chance to earn a legitimate income

The Big Issue vendor Dave Martin (The Big Issue/Sainsbury's)

Sainsbury’s has become the first major supermarket in the UK to stock The Big Issue magazine online and in hundreds of stores across the nation.

The Big Issue magazine, which was launched in 1991, provides homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income by becoming a vendor.

On Friday 20 March, the publication decided to ask its street vendors to stop selling the magazine on the streets with the immediate effect to protect them against the Covid-19 pandemic.

This will have left The Big Issue vendors without a stable income during the coronavirus crisis.

While street sales have come to a halt during the lockdown, from today the magazine will be sold for the first time by major retailers in order to achieve as many sales as possible in the current climate.

From Thursday 2 April, Sainsbury’s will be selling the magazine to its customers online and in-store at selected branches.

The magazine will also be sold temporarily in-store at McColl’s, Martin’s and RS McColl.

This measure will continue until The Big Issue vendors are able to return to safely selling the publication on the streets.

At first, The Big Issue will be sold at 164 Sainsbury’s stores across the UK, which will increase to 315 branches in the coming weeks.

At the 1,400 McColl’s stores where the magazine will be sold, it will have a retail price of £3, with 50 per cent of net proceeds being given to a Big Issue vendor support fund.

Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, explained that over the past 29 years, the publication has helped more than 100,000 people.

“On average we put £5m into the pockets of our vendors every single year,” he said. “Now more than ever, we need your support.

“Our income comes from street sales and without our vendors on the streets we cannot support those people that really need us now and in the future.”

Lord Bird said he is “thrilled” that Sainsbury’s and McColl’s have partnered with the magazine “so that readers new and old can continue to buy The Big Issue during these turbulent times”.

“As usual, we go half and half with our vendors,” he added.

Paul Mills-Hicks, commercial director at Sainsbury’s, stated that the supermarket is “proud” to be supporting The Big Issue Group.

“Coronavirus has affected everyone in the UK, and it’s important that we show our support for each other in these increasingly challenging times,” he remarked.

Jonathan Miller, chief executive at McColl’s, said the retailer is “urging” their customers to buy copies of the magazine at their stores “to help the organisation’s street vendors who will be struggling to make a living as people stay at home amid the coronavirus outbreak”.