As a means of combatting loneliness, a major grocery chain is launching a string of new meeting places that will encourage people to talk to strangers.

20 different Sainsbury's supermarkets across the UK are offering "Talking Tables", a pilot program for their cafés.

The tables will serve as meeting places for people who may need human connection or conversation.

According to the supermarket, the tables will either have a sign that will identify itself as an meeting place for interested participants, or it will serve as a designated spot for charity-led community support groups and social ambassadors to host scheduled talks and activities.

It comes as new research from Sainsbury's latest Living Well Index, developed in partnership with leading researchers Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social Research, reveals the UK's sense of wellbeing has fallen in the past twelve months - with loneliness identified as a key characteristic of those with a low sense of wellbeing.

"We know from our Living Well Index that community connections are a key driver of helping people to live well. Yet with almost two thirds of us feeling lonely some of the time, it's important that we contribute to helping to improve the lives of our customers and communities," says Judith Batchelar, Director of the Sainsbury's Brand.

"We hope that by bringing people together at our Talking Tables, we can utilize the potential of our store-space to help people be better connected to the communities they live and work in," she adds.

So jaunt over to Sainsbury's from October through December and show whose got game.

Be Sure And Share The News With Your Own Friends On Social Media - Photo by Sainsbury's