DOZENS of people queued to see the Archbishop of York open the city’s newest, and greenest, supermarket.

Dr John Sentamu toured the Waitrose store, on Foss Islands Road, and met many of the 180 members of staff before giving a speech to the waiting shoppers and cutting a green ribbon to declare the store officially open.

The archbishop agreed to open the store after learning about the way in which employees are treated as partners or co-owners of the company, and the supermarkets’ dedication to Fairtrade.

Speaking to the crowd yesterday, Dr Sentamu praised the company’s history of ethical trading with producers around the world.

He said: “It is good to have businesses that believe in ethical trading and corporate social responsibility. We should value the farmers who provide the food we eat. Especially the farmers here in Yorkshire.

“Mutuals and partnerships like Waitrose have been at the heart of the Fairtrade movement.

“Fairtrade is an important movement for social justice which originated in our churches. We need to value people, no matter where they are in the world, to celebrate the unique gifts that they have and the joy that they give to us.”

Branch manager Stacey Stump said: “It’s fantastic to be the first Waitrose store to introduce electric points in our car park, and we also have a green travel plan which encourages all our partners to use public transport, car share or cycle to the store.”