Shoppers shifting more towards locally sourced products amid growing Covid-19 fears

One in three consumers say the pandemic has made them realise how important locally sourced products are to the economy while 48% of Britons are now seeking out these type of items when they go shopping.

One in three of those polled say they are more supportive of local businesses than ever. More than a third of these shoppers do so to be more ethical, while over two thirds hope to support local farmers and almost half do so for healthier and fresher produce.

Some 51% believe that by buying local they are helping the economy while 45% are trying to reduce their “food miles” – the distance it travels before being consumed.

More than a third say they check the food miles of items when shopping by looking up the country of origin. Some 64% do this because they are worried about the item’s carbon footprint, while 54% believe this approach helps preserve UK farms and 57% say it reduces pollution.

The survey was released as Weetabix unveiled a crop circle in the British countryside to raise awareness of the value of locally produced food. The crop circle highlighted Weetabix’s “commitment to working exclusively with local farmers to source all of its wheat from within 50 miles of its mills”.

Francesca Theokli, marketing director at Weetabix, said: “Our study showed that more than two thirds believe companies are not transparent enough about where their food is grown and produced. So we wanted to create this crop circle to highlight our ongoing commitment to locally sourcing the highest quality wheat.”