At The Warehouse Group, our communities and the environment have always been a priority for us. In fact, our core purpose is to help Kiwis live better. Collectively, we have worked with more than 800 charities and community organisations to help some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders.

In alignment with being Here for Good, we are pleased to share the news that we are partnering with The Salvation Army, Countdown and BNZ to be part of New Zealand’s first ethical shopping truck. The Ministry of Social Development, Tindall Foundation and Nikau Foundation have also provided financial support to get this project moving.

Known as ‘The Good Shop’, the roaming truck contains online shopping technology and a team from The Salvation Army who will be on hand to assist clients with ordering groceries and essential homeware and appliances from our stores, particularly The Warehouse and Noel Leeming. We have worked alongside The Salvation Army to create a list of around 120 everyday essential items such as prams, highchairs, kitchenware and washing machines, with customers able to purchase these cost-efficient items from the truck.

“These trucks will help those who want to come into our stores but can’t necessarily get there. The Good Truck provides the additional support and wraparound service which is so crucial to helping communities access our products at a fair price. We are really proud to be a part of this initiative," says Tanya Henderson, GM Corporate Communications.

Those who cannot afford upfront payments will be also have access to apply for low and zero interest loans provided by BNZ, alongside honest financial and budgeting advice or referrals to further services where necessary. This will make a huge difference to struggling communities, where some loan companies have been shown to charge as much as 800% interest on goods, leading desperate families into spirals of debt.

This new initiative aims to disrupt the business models of the predatory lending industry by providing a safe and ethical alternative and allowing access to the same essential items, at a fair price. The truck will be able to help those who don’t have access to transport, do not have the money to pay for goods upfront, or have been denied credit through mainstream channels.

The first truck was launched today in South Auckland, but the long-term goal is to be able to roll the initiative out across further highly deprived communities across New Zealand, with a second already underway for Wellington later this year.