Three Reasons to Shop Local

Here are three reasons to shop in your local stores:

SUPPORT LOCAL ECONOMY

Research has shown that by shopping in local stores money stays in the local economy for five more transactions. Buy your groceries from a family-owned business and you could be helping a neighbour to feed their family. Buy a gift from a local craftsperson and you could be helping them to stay at home to look after their children.

MAINTAIN THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY

A village or small town that manages to hold on to its pub, corner shop and post office maintains a place for people to meet, socialize and connect. This gives the opportunity for a greater sense of community and encourages communication. If one of these businesses is successful this often paves the way for more small businesses to open up and thrive. A successful local community allows people to feel involved and connected. Knowing the people that live around you gives a greater sense of wellbeing, security and a sense of belonging. These thriving communities have less incidences of isolation and loneliness, particularly amongst the older generation. Stress, crime and aggression are reduced. The closure of small businesses, particularly corner shops and post offices means that access to basic resources are denied to people especially where the public transport links are poor or non-existent. This creates a ‘food desert’ where shopping becomes difficult for those without a car.

CREATE BETTER WELFARE

Small local retailers are more likely to source from local suppliers. This helps small family-farms, which cannot meet the industrial scale of production required by major retailers, at least not without employing intensive farming techniques, adding additional cost or possibly letting quality suffer. The agricultural methods of smaller farms is better for the preservation of wildlife and also helps maintain the unique character of our countryside.

Take a photo of you in your favourite local shop and post it with #greenparentmag and #lovelocal. Competition closes at midnight on 27^th November. We’ll choose a winner to receive £100 cash and a subscription to The Green Parent magazine on 29^th November.