Last week after reading several articles about the devastating effect of supermarkets on local communities and the environment, I decided to experiment with only using local shops. I often use the big supermarkets, usually because of the availability of cheep organic staples such as rice, pasta, and tea and coffee, and then I use local fruit and veg shops, farmers markets and my box-scheme. This week I used the local shops, and my local organic supermarket.

I have to say that the experience was far more pleasant and interesting than a trip to Stresscos. The kids enjoyed it as they could go by scooter (more fun than a car journey) and our local organic shop offers

each child a free apple to eat while they are there which also goes down very well. I managed to leave without having spent twice as much as I planned (my usual supermarket weakness), despite letting the kids choose lots of unusual things, and left with a basket of exciting foods, resulting in some interesting and tasty family meals.

Great things about shopping locally:
A good brisk walk to the shops or local market several times a week will keep you fitter, cut down on vehicle emissions, banish petrol and parking costs, and support local retailers. Several smaller shopping journeys may also cut down on food wastage, as you will be more in tune with what

you need and less inclined to bulk buy. Forget old fogey and go New Fogey with a funky shopping trolley so that you can wheel larger amounts of shopping home, and protect your back.

Buy a basket or some sturdy bags to cut down on plastic in the environment. Most things do not need plastic bags and can be put straight into a basket or bag. Plastic does not degrade; breaking into ever smaller pieces until it becomes a toxic residue poisoning the environment and responsible for the destruction of complex marine environments. 60% of household waste is from packaging, much of which is unnecessary. An average UK household will spend 470

per annum on packaging; cut down on packaging and you can afford a weekend in Paris!

Seek out local organic supermarkets and health food stores and you may be able to refill your Ecover cleaning product bottles; for me this will prevent over 100 plastic bottles each year being discarded. (I recycle plastic bottles, but recycling plastic has its own environmental issues, and it is better to cut down on plastic use). Also look out for shops where you can scoop dry stuff out of bins, this is often cheaper as well.

Don t always believe the big supermarkets advertising; not everything is cheaper there. In 2002 Friends of The Earth found

that a kilo of Tesco apples were 28p more expensive than a market stall, and 23p more than a greengrocer. The big stores spend millions on advertising to entice you to buy what you didn t know you wanted, and don t need. Stores are laid out to influence people s decisions on what to buy. (One big chain placed 6 packs of beer next to nappies to entice men who are asked to grab an emergency pack of nappies on the way home from work!) Research showed that 50% of purchases are decided on AFTER entering Tescos. Shop locally and avoid brainwashing!

Shopping locally will put more money back into the

local economy, and help support our farmers. Spending 10 in your butchers shop on local meat will generate 24 for the local community, whereas spending 10 in a large supermarket generates only 14 for the local community. Farmers are pressured by large supermarkets to produce cheaper and cheaper foods (leading to increased use of fertilizer, pesticides, etc), while the supermarkets have steadily increased the prices on the same foods. Large supermarkets may pay as little as a penny per chicken, and will make as much as 48p per kilo on potatoes (buy a sack from a local farm shop). Often the farmers receive less money than the crop cost to grow. In 2003 Terry Leahy of Tesco earned 2,838,000 (I bet he doesn t buy value beans), and an average farmer in the same year would have earned (including farming subsidies) 11,107.

Using local shops, farmers markets, farms shops etc offers many other benefits; getting to taste before you buy, seeing lots of local fresh produce; artisan cheeses, vegetables, cider, breads, supporting small businesses and producers. You may choose and discover more interesting things to try with your family, bringing more variety into your diet and more discussion to the dinner table. You will certainly be doing your bit to cut down on environmental damage, and support your local economy. You may be able to reduce

food wastage in your home, or save money. Give it a try for a week or two; if anything, it breaks the monotony of the weekly supermarket visit, and gives you a feeling that you are doing something more positive than merely lining the pockets of the supermarket shareholders.
Happy shopping,
Vikki.

Vikki Scovell BA(hons) PG DIP is a fully qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach. She is a qualified Nutrition Adviser, GP Referred Trainer and runs successful Community and Corporate Exercise classes and events. Vikki is a consultant in Healthy Eating and Exercise initiatives to schools in the independent sector and publishes School and General Healthy Living newsletters. Vikki believes passionately that everyone can make

small changes to their lifestyle to ensure that they live happier, longer and healthier lives. She lives in Bristol in the U.K. with her partner Jeremy and two young children Apple and Honey. For enquiries for nutritional advice, personal training, corporate wellness and general inquiries visit http://www.getfitter.net