5 reasons why you should shop locally

You may have been told that you should shop locally more often, but have you been told why? Read on to find out 5 reasons why you should shop locally.

Support your local economy

For every £1 spent with a local business, around 50-70p circulates straight back into the local economy compared to just 40p with a larger business or only 5p if you shop online or out-of-town. Therefore, by shopping locally you are supporting your local economy, enabling local businesses to flourish and doing your bit to keep businesses in your area going.

Personal service

There’s nothing quite like the friendly face and warm welcome you get when shopping locally. As local businesses are often run by people who live nearby, the relationship between local owner and local customer goes beyond just a purchase. Service is more personal compared to larger businesses as staff can get to know you as a customer, resulting in an all round better shopping experience.

Help the environment

Aside from the fact that local businesses themselves have a lower carbon footprint as a result of reduced food miles by sourcing goods locally, by shopping locally, you can reduce your own footprint too! This is because to get to a local shop, you are more likely to use sustainable methods of transport such as cycling. As a result, air pollution is reduced, as well as traffic.

Bursting with freshness

Locally sourced products are more likely to be fresher, having travelled less distance, and therefore tastier and more nutritious. In addition, produce is picked at peak ripeness, unlike products sourced further away which are harvested before they are ripe so they do not rot in transport.

Know where your food comes from

Often, local farmers have more of a focus on safe and sustainable farming practices, which local shop owners are likely to know about! They therefore are more likely to be able to tell you about where your food has come from and what farming methods were used, compared to chain stores.

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