26 June 2006 - Green Party Principal Speaker and Euro-MP Caroline Lucas has called on supermarkets to stock – and label – more local produce, in line with the wishes of more than 80 per cent of shoppers.

Dr Lucas, a food campaigner and Green Party MEP, made her call as she publicly endorsed an online campaign to back local farmers run by the Farmers Weekly newspaper.

Dr Lucas, author of ‘Look to the Local’, said: “Every day we trade vast quantities of food around the world – much of it almost identical – releasing thousands of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere as we do so.

“For the sake of the environment, as well as our local farmers and growers, I call on everyone to look to the local – and on the government to change the law to make it easier for shoppers, businesses and public authorities to do so.”

Dr Lucas, who is also a member of the European Parliament’s influential Environment Committee, joins a ‘Who’s Who’ of the food and farming community in backing the campaign. Other high-profile endorsers include celebrity chef Rick Stein, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett and NFU President Peter Kendall, all of who have signed the following petition:

“Supermarkets have a huge influence on the food we eat. Farmers Weekly’s exclusive food miles campaign research shows that 82% of consumers would be more likely to buy locally produced food in the supermarket if it was clearly labelled as such. Over a third of consumers would prefer to buy locally produced food from their supermarket. I support Farmers Weekly’s campaign which calls for all supermarkets and food retailers to promote, stock and label locally produced food in a way that supports local producers and cuts down the distance food is transported.”

 
ENDS

Farmers Weekly Food Miles campaign