Supermarkets should be “part of the solution” to increasing local food supply and expanding local food webs, a major new study has concluded.
From Field to Fork: The Value of England’s Local Food Webs has been published by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England as part of a national five-year project funded by the Big Lottery.
The project mapped local food webs around some 19 English towns and cities.
Graeme Willis, senior food campaigner for CPRE, said: “Our research showed that the presence of supermarkets is not an insurmountable obstacle to vibrant local food networks, but their number, scale and location is critical.”
The report found that the growth of supermarket chains has weakened town centres as numbers of large out-of-town outlets have spiralled. However, the report is not recommending turning back the clock.
Willis told FPJ: “We know supermarkets are here to stay; they are the key part of the retail market. What we are worried about is growth in the wrong places. When they are in town centres they can attract shoppers. For example, in Haslemere when Waitrose opened a new store in the town centre, they were careful not to have a fish counter because there was already a fish shop there.
“In our research, three independent shops reported that Waitrose’s presence has attracted more shoppers. It is about recognising the benefits of the right scale.”
Among other recommendations from the report are that supermarkets should set more demanding targets for stocking local food by using their market power to re-engineer supply chains, and calls for multiples to support the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to reassure customers they trade fairly with their local and regional suppliers.
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