Cost of taking action: £/$/€ NIL
Using a farm shop or farmers’ market is eco-friendly AND provides fresher, tastier food
Shopping at a farmers market doesn’t just give you access to fresher produce and goods — it’s also healthier for the environment.
This is because the food is typically grown nearby and thus requires less transportation, which significantly reduces the carbon emissions associated with your food.
Generally, produce at farmers’ markets isn’t wrapped in plastic either – unlike most of the produce found in our supermarkets.
On top of all that, many smaller farms are struggling to remain viable, by buying direct from the farmers you can help sustain their businesses and our farming traditions.
Where to go
Most towns will have regular markets, just check what days they are up and running. Many will specialise from time to time, for example a cheese market, or focusing on very local produce only.
In the UK, you can find farm shops and farmers’ markets at https://farmretail.co.uk/find-a-farm-retailer/
In the USA, you can find farmers’ markets at https://www.farmersmarketplaces.com/
In Australia, check out https://farmersmarkets.org.au
Take action
It’s not very difficult to take this action; next time you are planning a shopping trip, build in a little time to browse the market or visit a farm shop.
As well as the advantages described above, shopping “fresh” like this is a much more pleasant experience than the weekly trip to the supermarket. Staff are generally very friendly and more knowledgeable, and often there are other facilities too, such as garden centres and tea rooms, associated with the farm. Some farms will allow children to get close to the animals too.
Enjoy the trip!