Discounters seem to be becoming more interested in stocking their shelves with local produce, latest research from market analyst IGD reveals.
IGD found that “Aldi claims that up to 60 per cent of its fruit and vegetables are sourced locally, depending on seasonality and region,” and that “81per cent of regular discount food shoppers believe that the quality of products has improved.”
Promoting national sourcing is also becoming an increasingly standard practice among the UK discounters, particularly in fresh categories, as they increasingly come to the realisation that consumers are becoming more concerned about where their food comes from.
IGD's research, published on Wednesday found that: “Thirty per cent of shoppers say range of fresh products available is extremely important as a driver of store choice - up from 25 per cent in September 2010.” They also found: “Five per cent claim to use discount stores for their main grocery shopping trip up from three per cent in September 2010”. This shows that by discounters providing more local produce, they are bringing in more customers.
Joanne Denney-Finch, chief executive, IGD, said: “Discounters still account for a very small proportion of the market overall. But they might be expected to do well during an economic downturn, with 60 per cent of shoppers telling us that they will use them more if their personal economic circumstances get worse."
While IGD found that consumers are interested in local foods, they have also maintained a reasonably high level of trust in the industry, two-thirds of shoppers have high or medium levels of trust in food and grocery companies.
Nearly half of the 1,000 shoppers surveyed by IGD also claimed they would use food discount stores more in the future, if there was a shop near where they work or live.
