Grocery stores against poverty
Although Luxembourg is known as a rich country, its residents include people affected by poverty. And the number of households in precarious situations is constantly increasing. The Red Cross “Butteker” provide people affected by poverty with food and everyday products for a financial contribution of about one third of market prices.
The objectives of social grocery stores are:
This initiative allows disadvantaged people to increase their purchasing power while having access to fresh, quality products at lower costs. The fact that beneficiaries make a financial contribution follows the logic of respect for human dignity and of empowerment that is dear to the Red Cross. Red Cross Butteker are much more than just shops: they are unique spaces to meet and talk, to share information, and for health education. Trained employees, with support from dedicated volunteers, provide quality attention in specific spaces set aside for this purpose.
Social grocery stores first appeared in France at the end of the 1980s and are one of the means used to provide temporary food aid to people in difficult financial situations, or who are socially excluded or especially vulnerable.
In Luxembourg, the Buttek network was founded in 2009. In response to growing needs, it has expanded to cover the whole country. The Red Cross currently has eight social grocery stores: Differdange, Echternach, Mersch, Grevenmacher, Clervaux, Steinfort, Remich, and Wiltz – while Caritas has four: Esch/Alzette, Diekirch, Redange, and Luxembourg City. Various suppliers offer their goods free of charge or at a very low price to the Spëndchen the non profit supply centre .
Access to the social grocery stores is granted by means of a personal access card issued following a request made to a social service. Entry is reserved for individuals and families residing in Luxembourg, for whom the share of the household budget allocated to food and basic necessities is insufficient, and is determined according to socio-economic and family criteria.
This project is carried out with the support of the Pax Christi Foundation under the aegis of the Fondation de Luxembourg.
“The European Fund for Aid to the Poorest (EAF) promotes greater social cohesion and helps to reduce poverty.
The EAFD contributes to achieving, in line with the Europe 2020 strategy, the target of reducing the number of people at risk of poverty and social exclusion by at least 20 million, while complementing the other Structural Funds.
The EAFD provides support to families in financial distress through food aid and basic material goods. In this way, families will have additional flexibilities enabling them to better meet important recurrent costs such as rent or to build up small savings.
Luxembourg benefits from 3,944,660 € from the European Union to which are added 696,119 € of national credits for the period 2014-2020 and has chosen to devote these credits to the purchase of food as well as basic material goods such as soap, shampoo, ….
Food aid and basic material aid consist of meeting people’s vital needs. They are often the first steps towards social inclusion, accompanying people towards integration and autonomy.
Food aid and basic material aid consist of meeting people’s vital needs. They are often the first steps towards social inclusion, helping people move towards integration and autonomy.
The Red Cross “Butteker” are closed for collective holidays from 11 to 25 August 2023 inclusive (11 days) and from 27 to 29 December 2023 inclusive (3 days).
Croix-Rouge Buttek Echternach
9, rue André Duchscher
L-6434 Echternach
2755-5040
2755-5041
Croix-Rouge Buttek Wiltz
2, am Pëtz
L-9579 Wiltz
2755-5060
2755-5061
Croix-Rouge Buttek Steinfort
6, rue de Luxembourg
L-8440 Steinfort
2755-5090
2755-5091
Croix-Rouge Buttek Remich
6, rue Foascht
L-5534 Remich
2755-5113
2755-5111
Croix-Rouge Buttek Mersch
35, rue de la Gare
L-7535 Mersch
2755-5050
2755-5051
Croix-Rouge Buttek Grevenmacher
13, route de Thionville
L-6791 Grevenmacher
2755-5080
2755-5081
Croix-Rouge Buttek Differdange
19, Grand-Rue
L-4575 Differdange
2755-5030
2755-5031
Croix-Rouge Buttek Clervaux
92, Grand-Rue
L-9711 Clervaux
2755-5070
2755-5071
Coordination
16, Dernier Sol
L-2543 Luxembourg
2755