The Importance of Shopping Local
“Shop Local” is a cry heard from green-minded folks during all seasons. Supporting local stores is something a lot of us have become more aware of recently, especially during the pandemic. Navigating the endless aisles of large chain supermarkets can be exhausting. Shopping at local stores and independent farm shops gives you access to the products you want, alongside the pleasurable experience you deserve whilst shopping. There are multiple reasons why shopping locally is important, stay tuned to find out.
1. Fresh, quality produce
Many farm shops pride themselves in supplying fresh, local produce. The Lambing Shed offers a large range of quality produce, including our home reared Cheshire beef and lamb. We have an ever-expanding range of homemade products, including freshly prepared ready meals, pies and cakes, just to mention a few.
2. Helps the local economy
A strong culture of buying locally is the foundation of a sustainable local economy. When you shop, and invest in your local stores, more money is kept with your community as local businesses often buy from local suppliers. Research has shown that spending £10 in a local independent shop, means up to an additional £50 goes back into the local economy, which in turn, will help your local area thrive. Shopping locally can also create more jobs in the area.
3. Less packaging
In most farm shops, you can buy fruit and veg without plastic packaging, the produce is loose so you can buy just the amount you need, thus reducing unnecessary plastic packaging and helping reduce food waste.
4. Better for the environment
Shopping locally is beneficial for the environment as it helps reduce food miles. By shopping locally, you are purchasing goods that are produced in your local community, so they don’t have to travel far to make it onto the shelves. A lot of food in chain supermarkets has travelled thousands of miles to reach your plate. Shopping locally helps cut down on processing, packaging and transportation waste, leading to less pollution, by supporting local, you are contributing to a smaller carbon footprint. Many large retailers have significant food waste, farm shops generate on a much smaller scale so food waste is cut down. The Lambing Shed have teamed up with Too Good To Go, a wonderful business that helps rescue unsold food from going to waste! Join the food waste movement and download the Too Good To Go app today!
5. Community
Local businesses are the heart of every community, and they are run by local people. They care about and are invested in the well-being of your local area - your home is our home too! Local businesses provide a unique shopping experience with a chance to connect with each other. Local merchants are passionate about what they sell and want their customers to feel like part of a community. Local stores are much more likely to accommodate the unique needs of customers as the distance between management and customer is much smaller.
6. Traceability
Food traceability is important as it is good to know where your food is coming from. Large supermarkets have a complex supply chain, which makes the process more difficult to manage. Typically, local producers have a shorter supply chain which makes traceability easier. Being open about provenance encourages the trust of costumers. The Lambing Shed, take pride in where their stock comes from. With a dedicated promise to free-range and high welfare farming, our home-reared beef and lamb delivers the quality you’d expect. We proudly stock over 45 local suppliers, housing produce ranging from fresh fruit and veg, dairy products and ice cream, to jams, chocolates, wine and tea, and much much more.
Overall, shopping local is the perfect opportunity to meet and support talented small business owners, who take great pride in their work and want to bring you quality and locally sourced produce. So the next time you pop out to do some shopping, maybe consider making your next purchase from a local business. You will discover some great products and services while helping to build a strong and successful community around you.
We count on you to stay afloat!