We have published six location reports showing the scale and impact of local food webs in towns and cities across England. These reports are the first part of extensive research into how local food benefits local communities, economies and the countryside – benefits that are threatened by continued supermarket expansion.

Benefits for the environment and local community
Areas with strong local food webs have better access to fresh food and retain a distinctive local character in their towns and villages. Local food webs also connect communities with the countryside through farmers' markets and education schemes - both of which help consumers find out more about their food's short journey from 'field to fork'. By reducing 'food miles' local food webs tackle a major source of carbon emissions, while the smaller farmers who supply food webs often take greater care of the landscape.

Smaller local shops could lose out with supermarket growth
Many smaller retailers interviewed for this research stocked 50 per cent or more local produce whereas most supermarkets typically stock only one to two per cent local food. Without these independent outlets many local producers would struggle to survive, and the loss of just one small shop can have a knock-on effect throughout the web. We found that local food webs support a significant number of local businesses, keeping money in the local economy and providing local jobs.

From field to fork reports
We have published reports from six pilot locations and will publish reports from 13 further locations in 2012.

Pilot reports: Birstall, Hastings, Kenilworth, Knutsford, Sheffield and Totnes

Main study reports now published: Ledbury
Reports to follow: Shreswbury, Haslemere, Faversham, Otley, Yeovil, Hexham, Darlington, Newark, Ely, Penrith, Norwich, and Burnley

To download PDFs of the reports you will need to complete a registration page. This will help us to know the range of people who have read the reports.
Registration and PDF download