28 April 2008, 14:13 PM
  • Sixty-four percent of the public is willing to splash out a few extra pennies to make sure staples like milk, bread and vegetables are sourced locally.

This finding appears in a study carried out by GfK NOP for the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS), which aims at shedding some light on consumer attitudes to local retailing. It focussed on key topics such as environment and community.

Green issues seem to be at the heart of people’s interests. Beyond local sourcing, 59% were also favourable to seeing retailers charge for plastic bags. James Lowman, ACS chief executive, explains, “Customer’s views and attitudes are changing. Even very recently we could not have imagined that a majority of people would back a charge on carrier bags. Carrier bag waste is a problem that we can address and working together with customers we can achieve a dramatic reduction in their use and their impact. The poll demonstrates that retailers should be considering how they can make their businesses greener and do so in a way that means they reap the benefits, not only in cost savings, but in local marketing as well.”

The role of the local shop in the community was another key theme. Results showed that 65% of people thought their local shop increased their sense of community. This number went up significantly among the older age group.