Donating is easy
Customers can contribute to the purchase of an AED device for their Spar store in two ways. Either they ask to round up their receipt to the next euro, for instance 10.12 to 11 euros, which represents a gift of 88 eurocents. Or they can simply choose to donate 1, 2, 3 or 5 euros.
If the action results in more money than required, the Spar store will donate the remaining amount to a local charity. However, if the donations do not cover the cost price, the independent entrepreneur will make up the difference. He will also take care of the annual costs for maintenance, insurance and 24/7 monitoring.
A heart for the neighbourhood
The action takes place from 4 to 31 March in 62 Spar Colruyt Group stores in Belgium under the motto 'Your Spar has a heart for the neighbourhood'. This action, in which participate no less than one third of all Spar entrepreneurs, is based on the successful test last year in four stores. As a result, manager Kris Borloo of Spar Denderwindeke was able to install a device against the store front in April 2020 thanks to his customers' support. "As local supermarket, we support several local initiatives. Sudden heart failure can happen to anyone," says Kris Borloo. "If we invest in an AED device with our customers, we can save lives in our neighbourhood."
True proximity store
"Spar Colruyt Group was inspired for the action by Spar Ireland, where a similar initiative became a huge success," says Guido Soret, sales manager at Spar Colruyt Group Belgium. "Spar is a real proximity supermarket. In their own way, all independent entrepreneurs try to become a strong anchor point in their community, a meeting place in the area. We are all the more delighted given the commitment of our independent entrepreneurs: in April, one third of all Spar stores will be equipped with a defibrillator. We are convinced that their customers will wholeheartedly support this initiative, which is favourable for the whole neighbourhood."
