There are those who pay attention to savings and those who also care about principles and ethics, in the wake of conscious production and consumption. From the now historic buying groups to app technology, with the shop under the house and small businesses acting as a common denominator. In short, other consumption.
Among the novelties, the “widespread supermarket” project, conceived by Giampiero Monaco, primary school teacher. “What do you smell like in a tire shop?” And at the hairdresser and in a stationery? – she explains – What perfume do you smell at the baker and in front of a vegetable or butcher’s counter? And what sounds can we hear? ».
In other words: is it possible to buy in a different way? According to Monaca it is possible. “None of these experiences can be made at large retailers: mega markets all smell the same: the smell of haste, and the continuous sound of advertisements and jingles designed to encourage buying – he says – not so in small ones shops that allow purchases and selective sensory and relational experiences that could be part of the educational environments for those who practice widespread education ».
The Project aims to combine education and purchase: “For example, large-scale distribution is guaranteed widespread penetration into schools with prize competitions and promotional flyers”.
According to Monaca and the children of the “Associazione Bimbisvegli”, the accounts do not always add up: “To have a Lim multimedia whiteboard, which costs about 2 thousand euros, you need to get a turnover of 75 thousand euros, for 10 reams of paper, 2700″. «A little girl had exclaimed – Monaca still remembers -” my mother has a shop, if, even if only 5 thousand euros of expenditure she would make the monument, do you know how many gifts? “.
And here comes the idea: “To date we have selected 16 stores, making sure to replicate the service offer of a shopping center, but with special attention to the sustainability of the products and the guarantees of treatment of workers – he continues Monaca – Food and fair trade products, artisan bakery, village food shop, agrimacelleria, educational library, artisan ice cream parlor, hairdresser, paint factory, do-it-yourself, village pharmacy but not only: we have also included construction craftsmen, insurance, mechanic, tire specialist, dentist”. Given the mainly educational purpose of the initiative, every girl and every child, adherent or sympathizer, will receive a notebook for accounts, which shows the list of the businesses that adhere, also visible on the blog www.bimbisvegli.net, on which it will go to record the amount spent each time and receiving an immediate discount of 5%. “The expense to be included in the project – underlines the teacher Monaca – will have to be done by the child together with the adults because the goal is to raise awareness and empower the little ones, on the management of the economy and supplies of the family, to make them understand where certain services are provided, the smell of a baker ‘s shop and a mechanic’ s shop, how long it takes to change a tire or clean fish ».
“At the end of the year – he concludes – we will collect the account books and the children will separate all the amounts, all the figures spent will be added together at this or that shop, and after having checked them together, the various shopkeepers will recognize a percentage, about 10%, by making a cash donation to the association ».
With this system we want to support small and medium businesses, crafts and local professionals, creating a virtuous circle, based on authentic relationships, with real and functional advantages for everyone – without forgetting that, as Monaca concludes – So also studying mathematics acquires the functional and fun authentic task value “.