Local, national and imported foods: A qualitative study

The UK government is currently attempting to encourage consumers to buy more locally produced food. It is hoped that this will provide economic, environmental and social benefits to local areas, leading to more sustainable patterns of consumption. This qualitative study looks at the views and behavi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Appetite 2007-07, Vol.49 (1), p.208-213
Main Authors: Chambers, Stephanie, Lobb, Alexandra, Butler, Laurie, Harvey, Kate, Bruce Traill, W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Agriculture - economics
Attitude
Biological and medical sciences
Choice Behavior
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Focus group
Focus Groups
Food - economics
Food - standards
Food choice
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Life Style
Local foods
Male
Medical sciences
Metabolic diseases
Middle Aged
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Qualitative
Rural economy
United Kingdom
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
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Summary:The UK government is currently attempting to encourage consumers to buy more locally produced food. It is hoped that this will provide economic, environmental and social benefits to local areas, leading to more sustainable patterns of consumption. This qualitative study looks at the views and behaviour of consumers towards local foods with a particular focus on the barriers that prevent greater uptake of local produce. In total, four focus groups ( n=33) were conducted. Content analysis identified six relevant themes in relation to local, national and imported foods. These were cost, lifestyle, food quality, consumer ethnocentrism, choice and farmers. Overall, although participants reported buying few local products currently, there was widespread enthusiasm across socio-economic groups for local foods, with participants perceiving them as being of a higher quality than imported foods. They also generally endorsed the idea of supporting local farmers and their own national economy. The main barriers preventing participants from buying more local products were price and inconvenience. The results are discussed in relation to developing future strategies for encouraging people to buy more local food products.
ISSN:0195-6663
1095-8304
DOI:10.1016/j.appet.2007.02.003