SPAR Italy regional licensee, Aspiag Service, has raised a sum of €217,278 during its annual 14-day women’s charity fundraising campaign. The total amount was revealed on 8 March to coincide with International Women's Rights Day. During this annual campaign, the SPAR retailer collects customer donations at SPAR store checkouts and then donates the full proceeds to a women’s charity of choice in each of the five regions it operates.

‘The world needs women’ campaign supports projects and associations that promote women’s rights or combat gender-based violence. SPAR Italy, locally known as DESPAR Italia, uses its retail stores to spread information against gender-based violence and promote a culture of equality, respect, and appreciation, which is key to bringing about real change. Aspiag Service’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s rights is tangible within the business, where more than 80% of the colleagues are women.

Committed colleagues were key to the campaign’s success. At participating SPAR stores, team members at checkouts asked customers if they would like to donate a sum of their choice. The chosen charity organisations are listed below.

• In Veneto a centre of excellence for the treatment of endometriosis, the IRCSS Hospital in Negrar di Valpolicella (Verona);
• in Friuli-Venezia Giulia the Voce Donna (Woman’s Voice) association in Pordenone;
• in Emilia-Romagna the ‘Women’s Shelter for gender violence’ association;
• in Alto Adige and Trentino the associations ‘Frauen helfen Frauen’ (Women Help Women) and the ‘Centre for Life Support’.

Aspiag Service thanked all colleagues and customers who helped collect the much-needed funds to support women’s charities. The 349,844 donations show customers’ tangible solidarity as well as SPAR’s strong bond with its local communities.

Source: Aspiag Service

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About SPAR Italy

SPAR Italy, known locally as DESPAR Italia, was first granted the SPAR Brand’s licence in 1959. The first store opened in 1960. With it, SPAR became the first partnership of retailers and wholesalers to operate in the country. In addition, SPAR Italy licenses regional partners, all of whom work together to grow the brand across the country.

The DESPAR Partners operate stores under three formats: DESPAR Neighbourhood Supermarkets, EUROSPAR Supermarkets, and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets. Many of the larger format stores are company-owned, reflecting the scale of investment required. While the company achieves most of its turnover through these larger format stores, the independently owned neighbourhood supermarkets remain vital.