IGD’s latest shopper research, Shopper Trends 2010, reveals that nearly a third (30%) of shoppers claim to be specifically purchasing locally produced food.

This group has doubled in size since 2006, with the upward trend withstanding the pressures of recession over the last 18-months.

Compared to other types of ‘ethical’ shopping, locally produced food alongside Fair trade appears to have the greatest momentum for further growth during what may become a year of protracted economic recovery.

There are three key reasons shoppers cite for buying locally produced food:

• Freshness: Over half (57%) of shoppers perceive local food to be fresher because it hasn't travelled as far
• Economic factors: Over half (54%) want to support local producers, while many others see it as a way of supporting local retailers (34%) or keeping jobs in the area (29%)
• Environmental factors: Three in ten (30%) shoppers are motivated to buy local food because they think it is good for the environment as it hasn’t travelled as far

A wide array of other factors also feature within the top ten reasons for buying local food, including traceability, naturalness, taste and value for money.