Local food is a current issue for consumers. In our research, people told us that they strongly identified buying locally with the idea of being a ‘responsible consumer.’ They like to buy local food because they want to keep money in the local economy, because they think it has a lower carbon footprint or just because they believe it to be fresher because it hasn’t travelled as far. However, a recent column in The Observer suggests that in many cases, none of these beliefs may actually be true.

It identifies two main problems with ostensibly ‘local’ food. The first problem is with the definition of local itself; according to The Observer many local claims are in fact ‘red herrings.’ In other words, they’re classic greenwash. The other problem is with packaging and distribution systems, which means foods that genuinely are locally produced may still have travelled hundreds of miles before returning to their area of origin and appearing on a supermarket shelf. So much for fresher food with a lower carbon footprint.

Read the full article

Tags:  local-food responsible supermarkets trust consumer