UK consumers put the cost and convenience of food before the planet, according to a new survey from BBC Countryfile magazine.

The survey reveals that the top priority for a third of food shoppers is price, and half of us believe that locally produced food is more expensive than other produce. Some 41 per cent of respondents said that perceived expense is likely to prevent them from buying locally produced goods.

Cavan Scott, editor of BBC Countryfile magazine, said: “With price still a major factor in how we shop, local producers need to look at how they market their produce and how they can convince shoppers that local is not always more expensive. The good news is that the battle has already been won - 76 per cent of us know where our nearest farm shop or farmers’ market is, and more than three quarters of us buy locally produced goods at least once a month. The task for producers now is to educate and persuade shoppers to change their habits.”

Convenience also appears to be an important consideration, with nearly a fifth saying that the supposed inconvenience of local food would stop them buying it. Perhaps surprisingly, ethical and environmental concerns appear relatively unimportant to the UK consumer. Only four per cent consider buying organic food a priority, while three per cent believe minimising food miles or their carbon footprint is what matters most.

Scott added: “It appears that global concerns such as carbon emissions have less influence than we may have thought. So while food miles and carbon footprints may have been grabbing the headlines, they have yet to affect the way we shop. The impact on the pocket still seems more powerful than the impact on the planet.”

Supermarkets remain the king of convenience, according to the survey. Over half of respondents who buy local food purchase it at supermarkets or local shops, and 52 per cent of all consumers would definitely buy locally sourced products from the supermarket if they were available, with a further 29 per cent willing to consider it. Only three per cent of consumers opt for box schemes and eight per cent purchase groceries online.

More than two-thirds of respondents said they do not trust supermarkets to be honest about the food they sell.

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