New local supply concepts for Amberg-Sulzbach presented!

New local supply concepts for Amberg-Sulzbach presented!

In the idyllic Amberg-Sulzbach region, current attention is on local supplies, which is a central concern for many citizens. A comprehensive study was presented at a meeting in the Amberg-Sulzbach district office, which was organized by regional manager Katharina Schenk. This comes from the Society for Market and Sales Research (GMA) and aims to identify gaps in supply and show implementation options for nationwide local supply. According to [nn.de]. Kümmersbruck, Hirschau and Auerbach is concentrated.

However, a problem arises in the twelve municipalities of the district, where there is no efficient, large-scale local supply. While 51.4% of residents do their shopping locally, 33.2% in neighboring communities use the offer, mostly in their own car. Satisfaction with local amenities is high overall, especially in Sulzbach-Rosenberg with a value of 86%. But it also shows that in places like Hirschbach and Poppenricht only around 22% of the population are satisfied. Closures of bakeries, butchers, pharmacies and inns have a particularly painful impact on rural infrastructure.

Focus on innovative local supply models

The study presented five concepts for improving local supply. These include the “From citizens for citizens – market shop concept” in Hohenburg under the direction of Helmut Schindler as well as the Hutzelhof in Weißenberg, a family business that supplies 2,000 to 3,000 households as well as 1,000 schools, daycare centers and companies. Another exciting concept is the village shop box by Julius Stintzing, which offers a range of 670 products from regional producers. There is also a mobile village shop from the ILE Steinwald Alliance, which provides a comprehensive range of products on four wheels six days a week. An adventurous concept is the “supermarket without staff” by Christian Maresch, which offers self-service local products in Parkstein.

In order to address the challenges of local supply in rural areas, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) supports various model projects with the “LandVersorge – New Ways to Local Supply in Rural Areas” initiative. These projects aim to ensure participation and public services in rural regions. An outstanding example is the “Urban-Rural Drone” project, which tests the use of drones to improve local supplies. It is becoming increasingly clear that rural areas often face the challenge of meeting local needs in line with changing shopping habits and a changing population structure. Support through funding, usually up to 50,000 euros for the concept phase, is essential.

Public services and their challenges

Public services themselves are a crucial factor for the quality of life in rural areas. This includes not only local supplies, but also facilities such as schools, general practitioners and fire services. According to bpb.de, securing this infrastructure is particularly challenging, especially in times of aging and declining populations. In 2017, only 55% of the rural population had a family doctor within a 15-minute walk. This figure is 84% ​​in non-rural areas.

The need for local and socially acceptable care is more important than ever. Fewer and fewer people have access to a local grocery store, and the number of grocery retail outlets has more than halved since 1990. The political goal remains to design local amenities so that they are easily accessible to all citizens - ideally within a ten-minute walk. The challenges remain great, but the solutions presented give cause for hope.