What does it mean to buy local?

At farmers markets, u-pick farms and community stores, it’s increasingly common for consumers to favour local products, especially when it comes to fruits, vegetables and other foods. But what does buying local really mean?

For starters, there isn’t an official definition of the term “buying local.” Rather, the phrase encompasses a number of consumer and business practices such as:

• Shopping at independent businesses in your neighbourhood

• Opting for products grown or made in your region, province or country

• Working with local suppliers and commercial partners when operating a business

• Favouring regional companies when awarding service contracts

It should be noted that shopping at a supermarket or big-box store in your neighbourhood generally isn’t considered buying local. While it does help keep jobs in the community, most of the revenue goes elsewhere.

If you want to make more of an effort to buy local, look for stickers and logos that indicate a product was grown or made in your region.