Widespread tuckshop closures tipped as schools feel pinch

Queensland schools are facing a wave of tuckshop closures due to rising living costs and a shortage of volunteers, with more than 40 per cent of facilities now struggling to make ends meet.

Judith Kerr

@judithkerr1

4 min read

August 26, 2024 - 10:52AM

Students line up at Woodridge State School’s tuckshop in 2021. Picture: Contributed

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Queensland schools are facing a wave of tuckshop closures due to rising living costs and a shortage of volunteers, with more than 40 per cent of tuckshops now struggling to make ends meet.

More than 90 schools across the state no longer operate permanent tuckshops, with rising costs of ingredients, electricity, and stringent health and safety standards forcing many to shut.

The Queensland Association of School Tuckshops said P&Cs Qld data suggested more than 290 of the 745 schools it monitors had tuckshops running at a loss in 2023, with the startling figures pointing to “a tsunami” of closures.

Queensland Association of School Tuckshops chief executive Deanne Wooden. Picture: Contributed

The association said it was struggling to keep up with demand for its “Tuckshop Tune-Ups” program which offers financial advice with the program increasingly being seen as a rescue service.

Association chief executive Deanne Wooden warned that up to 250 tuckshops across the southeast were teetering on the brink of financial collapse due to rising costs and a shortage of volunteers and stay-at-home mums.

Ms Wooden said private operators were stepping into the void to replace volunteers, often resulting in higher prices and less healthy options as the situation became “critical”.

“We can’t keep up with demand,” Ms Wooden said.

“The schools that are coming to us, their tuck shop is almost broken and it is a last resort.

“There are many strategies tuckshops can use to reduce losses, however in the end, I am not sure whether smaller schools can survive long term given the way things are going.

“The current conditions are a perfect storm with the cost-of-living crisis and hiring fees straining budgets.”

Volunteers run hundreds of tuckshops across the state. Picture: QAST

The Queensland Association of School Tuckshops has previously conducted about 10 to 15 “tune ups” annually but has already conducted 17 so far this year with three more booked.

In June, the state government announced 277 state schools would get new playground or tuckshop upgrades under the Eat Right, Play Right, Learn Well program.

Tuckshops at 143 schools received the funding, which Ms Wooden said equated to less than 10 per cent of the total number of school tuckshops in the state.

P&Cs Queensland said it had had calls for help from P&Cs across the state but it was unable to document how many tuckshops were at risk of closure.

It also said there were enough volunteers at P&Cs across the state.

Former director of P&Cs Queensland Heath Henwood said generally, tuckshops were run by a school’s P&C, however in some situations the principal can operate a tuckshop without a P&C.

“In the first case of establishing either a P&C or a tuckshop, interested parents should have a chat with the school principal,” Mr Henwood said.

“There is assistance available through P&C Queensland to help with the processes.”

But parents at a state school in one of the state’s poorest suburbs, say the rising cost of living was heralding an epidemic of permanent tuckshop closures after they spent five years trying to reopen their facility.

Woodridge North State School parent Libby Mines said her tuckshop was one of three in the area forced to shut because it was operating at a loss and there was a lack of volunteers.

The school, which has 538 enrolled students, is one of the 90 in the southeast that no longer have an operating tuckshop at lunchtime.

Woodridge mother Libby Mines said she wanted the Woodridge North State School tuckshop to reopen in a step towards encouraging kids to attend school. Picture: Judith Kerr

Ms Mines said there were at least three schools in the Logan area experiencing full or partial closure of their school tuckshops due to a lack of P&C or parental support of the program.

Nearby Woodridge State School closed its tuckshop in 2022, Harris Fields State School closed its in 2019 and Berrinba State School’s was open one day a week, with St Joseph’s of Tobruk in Beenleigh, St Philomena’s at Park Ridge, Bethania Lutheran, Eagleby Learning Centre, Logan City Special School and Beenleigh Special School all without permanent tuckshops.

Schools across the state have felt the rises in costs of living which have affected some tuckshops. Picture: Contributed

State schools in and around the Woodridge area were also able to place tuckshop orders with Woodridge State High School, which had a more viable student base of about 1400.

Harris Fields State School is running a trial with students able to place orders for deliveries on Monday and Friday with Woodridge State High School.

“I have asked the school if we could help set up a tuckshop in the existing facilities, and I was told that it was up to the principal because there is no P&C,” Ms Mines said.

“Even though the parents want to help and set up a tuckshop, I feel the school does not want one because of the extra costs.

“Gone are the days of stay-at-home mums volunteering – everyone works and the mums who do volunteer, have even less time than before.

“We have suggested using the Work for the Dole to boost the number of volunteers – but even that has not been accepted.

“The school needs our kids to attend but without a tuckshop there is nothing inviting for the kids and this looks like the school is just rejecting the idea for a tuckshop.”

Woodridge North State School principal Michael McMahon and the Education Department were both contacted for comment.