As some consumers complain that farmers’ markets do not source locally enough, alternative independent retail outlets such as the markets and farm shops are giving the UK wholesale trade an unexpected boost especially as consumers feel the credit crunch.
Gary Marshall, president of Covent Garden Market Tenants’ Association said: “Farmers’ markets started as markets for local produce I suppose, about 10 years ago, but what we are seeing, is that as a market gets busier, other traders will be attracted to go there and sell their wares. Now we have a situation where some of the those trading on these markets are not selling their own produce, and personally I don’t think that is bad thing.”
Marshall reports that the practice of growers coming to New Covent Garden to buy produce to supplement their own to sell at a farmers’ market has been going on for several years. “When they are going a bit short, they try and source as local to where they grow as possible when they come on the market,” said Marshall. “And what we are also seeing is a lot of stall-holders doing farmers’ markets and boot sales and coming onto the market to buy all their fresh produce.”
But Marshall said the biggest growth has been in garden centres starting to stock produce. “Over the last three years we have seen a lot of this and sales are increasing dramatically as they have started from zero,” he said. “I would say sales to retail from New Covent Garden have increased 10-20 per cent in the last year and I think it is a sign that the housewife is looking at how much she is spending and that the multiples are not that good value at all. People are starting to shop properly again and [retail] markets such as Bromley, Lewisham and Dagenham have never been so busy.”
He added that many wholesalers had had a tough time over the last 10 years. “The last decade has been hard, but those guys that have stuck with it are now starting to get the benefit,” said Marshall.
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