Social Saturday to fight capitalism’s 'rough deal'

“Capitalism has gone wrong.”

This is the message that Social Enterprise UK is using to persuade consumers to consider social enterprise alternatives ahead of Social Saturday on 15 October.

Social Enterprise UK, the representative body of social enterprises, this week released results of a poll which shows that many British people think that businesses such as football clubs, utility companies and banks are making unfair profits at the expense of consumers.

The public are getting a rough deal because some businesses have an insatiable appetite for profit

Peter Holbrook, the chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “The findings of this poll tell us that in some industries British consumers are really losing out and it’s a sign that capitalism has gone wrong. The public are getting a rough deal because some businesses have an insatiable appetite for profit.”

Social Saturday, now in its third year, is an annual campaign to inspire people to buy from social enterprises.

Holbrook added: “There are social enterprise alternatives in almost every industry that consumers can buy from. These businesses are free of the shackles of profit-hungry shareholders, which means that they’re free to put customers and communities first.”

The poll, carried out by YouGov, revealed that two-thirds of respondents think football clubs are profiteering at the expense of consumers. They are followed by electricity, gas and water companies and TV subscription providers (61%), train companies (58%) and banks (53%).

Social enterprises are leading the way in creating a vibrant and growing social economy

Social Enterprise UK points out that social enterprise alternatives include AFC Wimbledon Football Club, Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, Energise Barnsley and Triodos Bank.

Social Saturday has financial backing from the UK government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Minister for civil society Rob Wilson said: “Social Saturday is a great opportunity for people across the country to buy social and celebrate the fantastic role played by social enterprises. Social enterprises are leading the way in creating a vibrant and growing social economy, which is why government is a Social Saturday partner for the third year running.”

At least 60 events will take place around the country on the day. These include a social enterprises pop-up stall at Borough Market in London. In Bristol there will also be a pop-up market by Temple Meads station. Plymouth, which is a Social Enterprise City, will host four events, including a guided tour of the city’s largest solar array by Plymouth Community Energy.

So far, there are 11 confirmed visits from MPs to social enterprises in their constituencies.

The Social Enterprise UK poll also demonstrated that awareness of social enterprise is rising among the British public. Just over half (51%) are now aware of these alternative businesses compared with just one in five in 2008.

• See www.socialsaturday.org.uk and follow #SocialSaturday2016 on social media for more.

Header photo: Change Please, a social enterprise which trains homeless people to become baristas, which will be at the Borough Market event in London on Social Saturday.