Shopping locally is a wonderful way to support your local community, reduce waste and benefit the environment. It can also help you save money. Here are even more reasons why I love shopping in my local community.
Benefits of Shopping Locally
Convenience
My nearest local shop is less than two miles away. That’s walking distance in good weather. Many small local businesses also offer delivery so it’s great for those who may not be able to walk or drive to the shops.
Traceability
My local butcher can tell me exactly what high welfare farms the meat I buy comes from. My greengrocer can also trace his fruit and vegetables back to individual farms. The baker can tell me exactly where the flour he uses has been grown and milled. At the local farmer’s market the producers are happy to share where they have grown and prepared the products they have brought for sale.
Food miles
Buying locally means your food doesn’t have to travel very far. It’s great for the environment and it’s an advantage to the consumer because it means we can serve our families the freshest food possible.
Quality
I know most of the suppliers and producers of my food by their first names. They take pride in their products and always sell the very best available. Quality is second to none.
Reduce Waste
While there is nothing wrong with buying products you will definitely use in bulk at a supermarket or warehouse store, it’s easy to be dazzled by special offers and multi-buys. This can lead to over-buying and subsequently, wasted food. Smaller local shops often let you buy exactly the quantities you need, be that three chicken breasts, four tomatoes or a handful of mushrooms. There’s also a lot less packaging.
Saving Money
Being able to buy exactly what I need means I don’t over-spend. Even when higher welfare, artisanal products are slightly more expensive, I still find I can stick to my budget more easily because there is no waste.
Creating a Sense of Community
The butcher, baker, florist and people in my local cheese shop know every member of my family by name and even remember small, seemingly unimportant details of our lives. My florist has visited my home to see how it is decorated. So, when I say I want a bouquet for a specific room or occasion, she knows exactly the colours I need. All of this makes a huge difference to our shopping experience and really makes us feel a part of the community.
Stimulate the Local Economy
I’m all for corporate success but I also have a very big soft spot for the little guy – the small businesses that are trying to make a go of things in a challenging economy. By shopping locally I’m putting money in the pockets of folks from my own local community.
Shopping locally is a win – win situation for the consumer, the producer and business owners. It’s also a more relaxing shopping experience than soldiering through a crowded supermarket and standing in line at the tills for ages. Try your local farmer’s market, check out the shops in your town or village or, like me, visit the village closest to where you live. You’ll be amazed at the difference shopping locally can make to your life, your budget and your local community.
Comments & Reviews
Some great thoughts on shopping locally April. I find my local butcher will let me buy my products straight into my own reusable containers – so not only do I come home with the exact amount of food I want, but I come home without any excess packaging – win:win!
Thanks for sharing your posts throughout zero waste week; I thoroughly enjoyed reading them.
Thank you, Rachelle! That’s a great idea about the reusable containers. I am sure my butchers would do that too 🙂
My Mum & Dad live in a village outside Cambridge; both quality and a sense of community are clearly present in their local shops. When I visit, I often cook at least one dinner, and recently I set myself a challenge that the entire meal would come from their village shops. They were pleasantly surprised at the range of items available within a couple of miles from home.
That is such a great challenge to set yourself, Pauline, and a really great way to illustrate how many wonderful products may be available close by 🙂 It’s so nice to hear that your parents have so many nice local shops nearby.
Living in L.A., I miss the ‘local high street’ way of shopping in England. This is a great post. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Janette 🙂
Thanks for sharing these reasons; this is great. The pictures of your town are lovely as well. I live in suburbia, and it would be difficult to walk too many places. But, I think it would be so much fun to be able to do so. I love the reminder of the sense of community. My grocery store and my dry cleaners all know me, so I totally believe in this one too!
Thank you, Debi! It can be hard when you live in suburbia, but it’s fantastic that you have made connections locally. It makes all the difference 🙂
Great post April, you really captured the sense of community. We love our local florist, baker and butcher. Would have loved to have been part of your blog. We like to see local people happy and relaxed. Floating Point Float Centre has only been based in Pangbourne just over a year but already we feel connected to the local people.
Thank you, Tina 🙂 Pangbourne really is a lovely place. I’m really pleased you are settling in so well.
We are settling in really well and what’s even better are the people who travel to see beautiful Pangbourne which brings more business to the local community. 🙂
What a great post, April! Walking is not realistic where I live, but I so love doing that on travel when we can walk everywhere. I’m so envious of your local delivery options, too. 🙂
Shirley
Thank you so much, Shirley! It’s lovely to be close to a village with so many wonderful shops and retailers.