Tesco is to open a regional buying office for the east of England to help small producers from the region sell goods through the retailer's stores.
The eastern sourcing office will be the second of six which are planned across the country, in addition to established offices in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and will result in hundreds of new local lines being stocked in supermarkets in the region.
Emily Shamma, head of local sourcing for Tesco, said: "East Anglia is known for the high quality of its produce and we already take fruit, vegetables and meat from hundreds of farms in the area. But we know there are many other products out there and we want to make it as easy as possible for local producers to come and talk to us.
"We know that our customers want to be able to buy more regional products. We also know that smaller suppliers have sometimes found it hard to approach the supermarkets and want to make these issues a thing of the past.
"By opening an eastern regional buying office with a dedicated team on the ground, we are determined to achieve this and will be able to stock far more local lines for customers in this part of the country."
The team will be based in Peterborough, with a buying and marketing manager as well as technical and merchandising support staff who will work across the region.
"Who is better qualified to say what should go on the shelves than those who know and love their region and its specialities," said Shamma.
In addition, Tesco will be staging a show-and-tell antiques roadshow-style event in the area for producers later in the year.
Regional stores will also reflect the move towards local with improved signs and information to put local products and regional counters in the limelight.
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