Spar Colruyt Group - Making a difference
Brussels - Belgium
A heartsafe cooperation between a Belgian supermarket chain and its customers
Spar Colruyt Group is one of the leading supermarket chains in Belgium. Spar supermarkets are known for their presence in the heart of many communities and neighbourhoods, and where many people do their groceries on a daily basis. Spar Colruyt Group took this opportunity to give back to community: together with their shop owners and clients, the group started funding for AEDs.
Local supermarkets started an one-month long fundraising, where clients could help raising funds by donating money to the initiative.
Guido Soret - Sales Director Spar Colruyt Group
“We were convinced that we could do this together with our clients.”
Together we can make a difference
Each local shop owner donated the first 50% of the purchase price. The other half was financed by its clients. Clients were able to donate in two ways: first, they could top-off the groceries receipt to the next round Euro. Another option was to donate either 1, 2, 3 or 5 Euros. All donated funds that exceeded the target goal, were donated to the local Red Cross Foundation.
Guido Soret, sales director at Spar Colruyt Group, explains why the project became a success: ‘’Spar is a local supermarket. All our proprietors ensure that local initiatives are supported and that we give back to the communities. That is why we were convinced, that we could do this together with our clients.’’
For Kris Borloo, proprietor of a local Spar supermarket, it was a no-brainer to participate in the project. ‘’We support lots of local initiatives. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, at any time. By raising money to install an AED that is always accessible, also outside opening hours, we can save lives in our neighbourhood.’ For Kris Borloo, proprietor of a local Spar supermarket, it was a no-brainer to participate in the project.
24/7 accessible AEDs in the heart of many communities
Spar chose for longevity of the project: all AEDs have been installed in Rotaid 24/7 cabinets. These monitor the AED 24 hours a day and inform supermarket owners when their AED needs maintenance. The distinctive LED lighting makes sure that the AED not only stands out during the day, but also during the night.
Thanks to this campaign, many Spar supermarkets are now the heart of the neighbourhood.
Kris Borloo - Proprietor Spar Supermarket
