Shopping locally: Good for your community and the environment

“Best coffee in the world,” reads the sign outside Nicky’s Village Market in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow.

This friendly spot has been going for 27 years, relocating to a larger premises in the town a few years back to expand its offerings with a cafe and wide selection of groceries and health foods, and many locally-sourced products from Wicklow honey to fresh loaves from Gran Clarke’s bakery. When the shutdown was announced in March, flour and yeast were their first products to sell out.

With everyone at home over the past few months, people have been flocking to their local shops like never before. "The small shop has made a great comeback," says owner Nicky Roe, with many locals used to long commutes and busy weekends, now having more time on their hands.

Sudden changes in consumer patterns has been one of the many economic challenges presented by the coronavirus crisis

“Lots of people are out now discovering local shops and local walks,” he says, with the nearby butcher Mitchell & Sons also reporting an increase in customers. “People are really valuing the quality of local living.”

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Shopping locally can be good for the environment too, with people walking or using their cars less or travelling shorter distances. Nicky’s is also one of the few places where you can shop without coming home with lots of plastic packaging.

You can bring your own reusable bags for loose fruit and vegetables – or use their compostable ones – and refill your own tubs with loose grains, rice, nuts and more. Roe is also hoping to expand this side to their business with greater refill options.

Consumer patterns

Sudden changes in consumer patterns has been one of the many economic challenges presented by the coronavirus crisis – with large and small businesses having to adapt quickly. Nicky’s wholesale business, supplying fruit and vegetables to the hospitality sector, “fell off completely”, while their coffee shop was also forced to close under the new restrictions. Like some other businesses, they’ve started doing home deliveries with orders surging and a new online web shop in the works too.

As the country inches towards reopening, a big question is whether consumption will go back to the way it was before. According to the EY Future Consumer Index, the global consumer is changing rapidly, with 45 per cent of people saying that how they shop will change permanently as a result of the pandemic, with 38 per cent saying it will permanently change what they buy.

The B&A Sign of the Times survey published in The Irish Times in April, meanwhile, found that seven in 10 consumers are concerned about environmental issues. Positive changes that we’ve made over the past few months in reducing or rethinking our consumption could be good news for the environment and the local economy – if we can stick with them.

[ @SorchaHamilton ]