Reduce food miles - buy local says Alcock

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 16th May 2008

Mark Alcock Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Oldham West & Royton, today called upon the Government to take decisive action to support local produce and reduce food miles.

HGVs transporting food are responsible for a quarter of CO2 emissions and short trips made by cars, often for food shopping, are responsible for 20 % of the UK's CO2 emissions from food transport - this is having a harmful affect on our environment, increasing our carbon emissions and increasing our ecological footprint. The WWF have found that by applying the principles of fair trade, sustainable sourcing and corporate responsibility to all our food, we could save up to 10% of our ecological footprint from the food sector.

Mark Alcock said: "For the sake of our economy, our environment and our health fresh locally produced food must be accessible and affordable to all and the Government need to lead by example.

"Westminster Lib Dems have found that 85% of Lamb used by NHS premises was imported - the Government must support and encourage the use of locally sourced food across the country, in our schools and in our hospitals as well as to individual consumers. A strong domestic market is key to ensuring a sustainable future for our local industries.

"With the majority of all food eaten in United Kingdom coming from supermarkets they have a strong role to play by stocking local produce and giving our farmers a fairer deal for their quality products.

"We need to see the development of 'local food strategies' to promote the consumption of locally sourced food, along with greater promotion of local branded produce; more support for farmers markets and farmers co-operatives which can help build working relationships between farmers and retailers, to secure guarantees of product supply from producers so that farmers can be confident that there is a market for their produce."

Notes:

Between 1991 and 1997 a total of 4,000 food shops closed in rural areas;

From 1997-2002, 50 specialised stores such as butchers, fishmongers and newsagents closed every week across the UK.

47% of people don't know where the food they buy is produced

83% said they would prefer to buy local food if it was clearly labelled

(Farmers weekly food miles research survey 2006)