Ah, good strawberries from Carpentras, asparagus from Roque-Hautes and bouchot mussels from the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel! If local production logically evokes quality, that is not necessarily a purchasing criterion for all consumers, especially the English, Americans and Danes.
Preferring to consume locally is generally seen as one of the most important tips for taking better care of the planet. Made in France labelling, display of producer portraits, indication of geographical production areas with supporting map of France… The agri-food industry uses (and abuses) marketing arguments to denounce local consumption as a real asset. Because the French are indeed sensitive to it. According to an international study by YouGov Custom, 67% of French people say they prefer to buy locally. At the time of the health crisis, between June 2020 and May 2021, sales of French-made products had increased by 6%, at a time when local consumption became essential as imports were hampered by the closing of borders.
But what is self-evident for one country is not always so for the neighboring country. Take the UK. The British are among those for whom the issue of local consumption is far from consensus. 54% of the British prefer local products over imported ones. A percentage below the average of this study (60%) whose panel is very large with 19,839 people surveyed in 18 countries (Indonesia, France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, Italy, Spain, Australia, Mexico, India, Hong Kong , Great Britain, Poland, China, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, United States).
Her Majesty’s Kingdom is at the bottom of the rankings, surpassing only two countries for which there is no purchase criterion locally: Hong Kong (30%) and Singapore (34%). This also applies to the Danes (57%) and the Americans (56%).
In comparison, Italians show genuine attachment to their national production, with nearly three quarters of consumers (74%) praising it. They are even more numerous than the Swedes (71%). Our transalpine neighbors clearly link the issue of the local to the urgency of acting for the planet. Indeed, they are 77% in favor of making this choice because they are concerned about global warming. In Hong Kong and Singapore, this environmental problem affects only part of the population (33%).
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