FINDING SUPPLIERS

fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, lend themselves well to utilising local suppliers as they allow retailers to be more flexible with the amount of produce they bring in and stock.

“We’ve always had a free flow when it comes to fruit and vegetables, so customers can buy what they need,” she says.

According to Taylor-Green, this allows for more flexibility and allows customers to only buy what they need at any particular moment.

“Buying fresh fruit and vegetables from local suppliers means you can order what you need, and you don’t end up with surplus stock that you have to throw away,” she adds.

“What we have done is change what we order day-to-day. We have a local butcher that we get pies from, but we might not necessarily want the same produce in the winter that we do in the summer. By using local suppliers, you have greater choice.”

This flexibility when it comes to the type of stock retailers bring in not only prevents waste and surplus stock, but also helps customers find what they need, which is particularly important in the context of the cost-of-living crisis.

Taylor-Green explains that customers tend to use convenience to buy what they need in the moment, rather than do whole weekly or fortnightly grocery shops.

This means there are 21 opportunities to sell meals in a week, so retailers need to be flexible in the products they offer, and sourcing local suppliers can help with this.

Providing this flexibility potentially comes at a cost, but the benefits for stock availability outweigh them, according to Alan Mannings, of Shop on the Green in Chartham, Kent.

Mannings says by using local suppliers, he has been able to avoid some of the supply issues and kept his store stocked with essential products.

“Local suppliers may be more expensive, but availability is the most important thing,” Mannings says.

He adds that since the beginning of the cost-of-living crisis, he has tried to use more local suppliers, citing the positive reaction of customers and supply reliability, all of which make the extra cost worth it.

“I have started dealing with them a lot more in the past year. I’m always looking for more local suppliers,” he says.

“I didn’t struggle to get eggs during the recent supply issue; I have a local supplier who I trust. Reliability and availability balance out the increase in costs.”

Sometimes, working with local suppliers is about more than just about ensuring you have best produce in your store. It can also be an essential part of how you operate in the local community.

Judith Smitham, from The Old Dairy – Pydar Stores in Truro, Cornwall, said her customers expect her to have certain goods in her store,