5 reasons to start buying locally produced goods
Here are five reasons to buy locally produced goods, benefiting the planet, your community and your personal wellbeing.
Over the last decade, buying locally produced goods has suffered the consequences of an increasingly globalised market. With endless options imported from all over the world available to consumers, local shops have been left behind when it comes to competing on availability and price with large supermarkets. This has not only damaged the local economy, it has also harmed the environment.
Nonetheless, since the pandemic, local purchasing has experienced a global revival, a trend that has fostered a return to eating produce that is grown or produced in the same area where it is subsequently sold and consumed. More and more people are choosing conscious and responsible commerce, where sustainability and product quality take precedence over quantity and variety. If you have not yet joined this movement, here are five reasons to start purchasing locally:
Why should we consume local products?
Supporting the local economy and building communities
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Money spent in a neighbourhood is reinvested in that neighbourhood. In this way you help small businesses to thrive and create new jobs. By buying from local businesses, you are also helping to create a community, as direct sales allow you to create trusting relationships through personalised advice.
Smaller carbon footprint
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Locally grown produce avoids or reduces unnecessary transportation. This means less consumption of energy, fuel and less polluting emissions. It also reduces the amount of plastic used, as direct sales do not require packaging to preserve the product or transport it over long distances.
Better quality and freshness
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Because we are aware of its origin, we can access more information about the production methods used and the freshness of the product. We also ensure that the food is not genetically modified or processed. By not spending long periods in cold storage, the original taste remains intact and therefore the quality of the product is much higher, as well as being healthier.
Supporting sustainable smallholding farmers
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Support small-scale farmers who follow sustainable farming practices. meaning those that focus on ensuring long-term productivity, preserving natural resources and not using agrochemicals that are harmful to both the planet and your health. They also make responsible and efficient use of water by reviving more sustainable traditional farming techniques.
Fair trade
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Often products imported from far away have lower prices due to the deplorable working conditions of the workers in their country of origin. Buying locally ensures fair trade or, in other words, ethically sourced commerce.
