Local Food and Shops

A more sustainable world can be acheived by the implementation and promotion of locally sourced produced, sold in locally-owned shops. Birmingham Friends of the Earth believe very strongly in this.

• The Problem: The global food industry is out of control. Big business is taking over how our food is produced and sold. People think that cheap food is good, but the real costs are hidden. Increasing amounts of land, water and chemical inputs are needed to produce food at the expense of forests, greenhouse gas emissions, and livelihoods. Supermarkets do not help this problem, as they exploit suppliers and the environment.

• The Solution: There is no simple silver bullet that will Fix the Food Chain, but we have identified a range of policy solutions, which together will acheive real change. We also encourage local shops and markets, which offer people a wide choice of locally-sourced produce.

• Take Action: Buy produce from local shops, even if only select essentials. Talk to your local Councillor and MP to get local planning policies in place that support local shops and restrict new supermarket development. Find a local allotment and start dabbling in growing your own food! If there are no available allotments in your area, you could find out whether there is a community grow site near to you, and if not, try setting on up yourself!

For more information on our work on Local Food and Shops, go to our main website here, or go to the national Friends of the Earth Webpage here, where there are resources and readings that explain background on the issues in our Food Chain campaign.