Shopping Local: Pros and Cons
As a consumer, you have choices. You could hop online at Drugstore.com for laundry soap, drive to any number of chain stores or big box retailers, or walk down the street to your local mom & pop grocer. When you make purchases, your dollars cast votes for stores you like best.
Like me, you might be finding it hard to keep track of all the buzz words surrounding responsible purchasing: “Organic”, “Fair Trade”, “Hyperlocal.” (Did you hear? “Locavore” is the new “Vegan”). But still, there’s contradictions even among the catchphrases: “Fair trade” means supporting the fair pay and treatment for workers in a global economy, while “buying local” means supporting the community right here at home. Confusing much?
Whether you favor supermarkets or farmer’s markets, here are a few Pro’s and Con’s so you know what to expect when you shop local:
PROS:
It’s Good for the Community
When you buy local more money stays in the community, and it has more velocity (meaning, it circulates around faster). London think tank, the New Economics Foundation, compared when people bought produce at a supermarket versus a local farmer’s market or community supported agriculture (CSA) program. They found that when folks bought locally, about twice the money stayed in the community. Another way buying local helps foster community is the personal connections you make with the shopkeepers, farmers and small vendors who sell to you. Local stores and farmer’s markets become hubs to meet and chat with friends and neighbors.
It Helps the Environment
Many foods in America travel an average of 1,500 to 2,500 miles from farm to table, says the Worldwatch Institute, and these “food miles” are among the fastest-growing sources of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Local shops more often stock local foods that do not require long plane and train journeys, helping reduce our overall global footprint. Farmer’s markets, in particular, carry fruits and vegetables and other farm-to-table products grown within a radius of 100-250 miles.
Better Customer Service
Evidence from numerous surveys show people receive better customer service from smaller, independently-owned businesses over large retailers. These are companies that live and die by their reputation and repeat business, which means they can’t afford to lose you as a customer. As a result you often get a higher standard of service, as small business owners will fight tooth and nail for your voting dollar!
There’s Even a Holiday:
Check out Small Business Saturday on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. Get discounts and support local businesses.
CONS:
Higher Prices
Shopping local sometimes carries a premium.The prices at a mom and pop may be higher because their profit margins aren’t has high as large retailers’. Sometimes it’s just a few cents more, sometimes a few dollars– but occasionally the price difference is so egregious, small businesses price themselves out from the competition. As always, it’s up to you to be a savvy shopper.
Inferior Return Policies
While many department stores will allow you to return practically anything at anytime, locally-owned businesses and retailers may not offer the same lee-way. In fact, small boutiques and retailers are notoriously terrible at offering more than a basic, 7-14 days, exchange or in-store-credit, and only-with-receipt return policy. Check your store’s details before purchase.
It Might Not Be as Energy Efficient as You Think
Just because something is locally made or grown does not mean that it is environmentally friendly. Small local farms and manufacturers may not be able to take advantage of certain energy-efficient or green practices that larger producers can afford. Larger operations often function more effectively, making their companies more “green” over local farms or businesses. Some argue that it’s more energy-efficient to raise particular foods in particular places – such as lamb in New Zealand, or avocados in California and in that case, it could be more environmentally sound to ship foods long distances. According to a study by the Leopold Center, tomatoes grown in the ground in Spain and shipped to Sweden require less overall energy to produce and ship than tomatoes grown in a hot greenhouse in Sweden.
Best to ask questions and be an informed consumer, which is much easier to do when you have a relationship with the person on the other end of the transaction.
Photo Courtesy of: farm8.staticflickr.com/7136/6996804766_c802e62300
