1. Recirculate and invest.
By shopping locally, you are pumping money back into your community. A recent Government study has shown that for every £10 spent locally, £2.26 is recirculated within the local community, thus helping national recovery across the entire UK.
2. Employment.
Local retailers tend to purchase more products from local producers, which in turn keeps local farmers, manufactures and service companies in business. This collectively keeps people employed and can grow the number of local jobs, which creates a better and more prosperous community in which we all can benefit from.
3. Preserving the heart and soul of your community.
Stop your local high street from becoming a “Ghost Town”, which will enforce your community to have no alternative but to shop with major national supermarkets or the online giants. Keeping your local businesses up and running means that they can generate revenue to support local council services, like schools, parks, roads, libraries and many other services that make your community a better place to live.
4. Carbon footprint.
When shopping locally, people travel less distance and often walk or cycle to do their shopping, significantly reducing the amount of air pollution and traffic congestion – all of which benefits your local environment. Also, the more locally sourced produce equals fewer transport miles which drastically reduces the amount of co2 emissions in this country. Unnecessary food transportation contributes to over 3.9% of the UK co2 output.
5. Cost v Quality.
More often than not, many of the same goods are available at your local stores, be it at the butchers, bakers or greengrocers. These products are of a similar if not lower price but far fresher and better quality than that of the major national supermarkets.
Did you know ?
Cauliflowers grown in Cornwall are harvested on Monday and transported to London on Tuesday to be graded and packaged by national supermarket chains. They’re then transported back to Cornwall on Thursday to be sold up to 7 days after they left Cornwall in the first place. Ask yourself, does this make any economical or ecological sense?
6. Safe way to shop.
Smaller shops create a more personal and community-focused shopping experience. Local businesses across the country continue to adapt to changing customer needs, providing a welcoming and safe environment. We remain committed to supporting small businesses with the tools and guidance they need to thrive in an evolving retail landscape.
7. Personal shopping experience.
Local people often run small, independent shops—and these are the folks who truly know you and your community! A friendly face and a chat are exactly what people need. For some, conversation with the storekeeper may be the only contact they have, and in a world that’s become more isolated, it’s especially important. This small connection can be a powerful remedy for mental health, providing a sense of belonging and support, particularly for our more elderly and vulnerable neighbours.
8. Bespoke local produce.
When you shop local, you may have more choice than you think as they often stock items that aren’t available at the major supermarkets. Some of which are unique and local sourced, offering you originality and typical local fare not found elsewhere in the country.
9. Crisis defence.
These past years have shown us just how vulnerable our food chain can be in times of crisis, whether due to global disruptions or supply chain issues. When people struggled to travel to larger supermarkets or delivery trucks couldn’t get through, we saw the consequences—empty shelves, and shortages of everyday items. This underscored just how much we depend on supermarket giants. Now, imagine if we didn’t have those local shops to supply us with the essentials. Imagine if you or the delivery vans had no fuel to cover the five miles to the nearest supermarket. We need local shops now more than ever, not just as a safety measure, but as our first line of defence in any crisis.
10. Humanity in our community.
Each town and village across the country has witnessed great acts of humanity and charity from within its community throughout 2020 – an unforgettable and challenging year. The organising of food banks at the village/town halls, local shops and businesses donating food and help for the elderly and vulnerable, ordinary people offering delivery services and general help to others less able or fortunate. This happens when there is a community spirit, a sense of belonging in one’s community. Local shops and business are part of the glue that holds it all together when they are gone, so does the community spirit and, sadly, a sense of humanity with it.
