Barbara's Blog

SHOPPING FOR THE FUTURE

03-10-2008

The latest Fair Deal award for shops offering a fair price to British producers has just been handed out in Worcestershire. Barbara Panvel reports on how consumers can get quality food - and at the same time protect local jobs.

5,000 demonstrators from the agricultural, consumer, development and environmental sectors at the recent EU Agriculture Ministers’ summit in France were calling for food producers to be paid ‘sustainably cost-cover­ing prices’ for their products, to ensure a reliable supply of healthy, regional food in the future.

Pressure for a fair price for British food producers is increasing and information about this can be seen on the Fair Deal campaigns page of Localise West Midlands: see localise west midlands link here

Fylde and Wyre councils are working towards Fairtrade status but alongside this they are supporting fair trade for local food producers.

Last week Helen Saunders of Capers, in Pershore High Street, received a Fair Deal award from one of her suppliers, Lynda Whitcombe of Plantation Cottage Herbs, who grows herbs from which she makes a range of products.

Food supplied by Helen’s ‘Local Heroes’ was displayed on a table in the shop:

Fair Deal milk is available at Capers – perhaps the first in the country – though some of her customers buy milk at Tesco just opposite because it is 8p cheaper.

Other buyers take the long-term view, realising that by strengthening the local economy they are building employment opportunities for their children and grandchildren’s generation.

As Robert Peston said recently, on Radio 5’s business programme, the small business sector is the ‘driver’ of the economy. Jobs can be created and preserved in the local economy by giving preference to local producers, suppliers and repairers ‘all things being equal’ as another businessman said.

DO YOU MAKE AN EFFORT TO 'BUY LOCAL'? DISCUSS THIS ON THE STIRRER FORUM