How can more people be convinced to buy locally?

Question

With the rise of big-box retailors, the business climate for local retailers and producers seems dim. The big boxes provide prices that can't be beat. Chain restaurants can advertise aggressively to the detriment of equally-priced higher-quality local restaurants. Farmers' Markets offer higher-quality fresher produce at lower prices than the supermarket, yet people still buy at the grocer. How can more people be convinced that they can get better-quality products and help support their local communities at the same time?

Answer 1

...when they can be convinced that living both in debt and for the minute isn't stylish anymore. What you are suggesting is not some delusional idea though, they do this in many other countries (and not just with food products, but with goods as well) and the people seem alot happier and healthier doing so. How to get people in the US to realize this though?...that's a good question. I suppose one way would be educating the people you know about it. The only other way I can see is when enough people get sick from foods that they have no idea where they came from, and are tired of being poisoned. Illnesses and diseases are becoming alarmingly more rampant though, so we may not be far from change.

Answer 2

It's all about advertising, and not letting Wal Mart some into your community. See if the News channels in your area will do a story on local farmers and then take the opportunity to get the word out. Local products are almost always the best, unless you get someone unscrupulous to jack up prices way beyond what is fair market value. Then it is a problem. If people get taken advantage of they won't come back to the little guy, but for some reason they will give big corporations more and more chances.

Answer 3

As more word gets out that the melamine contaminated gluten made its way into the human food chain and with the other recent food-borne illnesses, people will start to connect the dots about the unsafeness of the food supply. Then they will start looking for locally grown food.

Here in Vermont they just passed a bill that allows for small/private farmers who keep 1000 or less chickens to slaughter and process on the farm and then sell to local restaurants and farmers markets. It is a very good step in the right direction.

Answer 4

The local merchants have an uphill battle, no doubt. I think that the best thing they can do is be active in the community, by sponsoring Little League teams, or donating services to a church group or something. Yes, those things take a little off the bottom line, but they build the personal relationships that it takes to increase business.

Look for the question I asked today about buying American products online vs. buying imports from local stores; I'd like to hear your thoughts.

Answer 5

The most efficient way to get people to buy locally in a market society is to make the local good less expensive comparatively. So, either subsidise local goods or tax supermarkets.

Or, if you consider that the reason most people might be going to stores instead of farmers markets is that stores are more convenient and people are short on time, then make farmer's markets more convenient and advertise them so that people know how convenient and inexpensive they are. Hold farmers markets in the evenings so working people can shop after work.

Answer 6

I wish there were more farmers' markets and not just one's that say they are but the stuff is gotten at the wholesale level and resold, but real markets from people who've actually grown the stuff. It's cheaper and it tastes better! We live close to New Jersey and we've even gone there in the summer to buy from merchants along the road, but the last time it was extremely poor quality! If we had more farmers' markets around, I'd buy from them!

Answer 7

It took gas getting over $3.00 to convince me! My items locally are generally $.50-$2.00 more expensive, but if you figure in the gallon of gas to go into a larger town for "a lower price" then it adds up to the same. My dog food is purchased at a feed store (local) with better ingredients (no whey protien concentrate) and costs the same as the filler crap they sell at big stores.

Answer 8

If i were your parents id get you a fake one. Then again i work at an aquarium and think i wouldnt want you within 10 feet on my animals. Some advice. If your putting any fish in a bowl DONT it a little round coffen for your fish.

Answer 9

90% of the time you do get better goods locally than thru the big box retailers. WalMart imports it's crappy goods from China yet waves the flag every time it gets. This is the type of hypocrisy that needs to be exposed.

Answer 10

Big companies must not be allowed to exploit the market with intensive government regulations and protection of small businesses.