Scottish Farmers' Markets Offer a Great Deal of Quality
2010-10-22

Over the past ten years, Scottish Farmers' Markets have established a great reputation for offering top quality local produce, supporting local producers, boosting the local economy and helping reduce food miles, but how many of us would think that buying at a farmers' market is also a great way of keeping an eye on the cost of the weekly shop?

Research carried out this summer by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) in association with the Scottish Farmers' Markets Partnership (SFMP) tried to uncover consumer attitudes toward pricing at farmers' markets and whether these attitudes were based on reality.

Results found that more than half of consumers (58%) thought that because of the higher quality on offer at a farmers' market, the price of goods would be higher than elsewhere, but a like for like pricing study has actually revealed that of twelve products chosen for comparison, six were less expensive at farmers' markets than at other outlets such as supermarkets and farm shops.

The six items were sirloin steak, unsmoked bacon, chicken breast, venison sausages, cauliflower and strawberry jam.

According to Scottish Association of Farmers’ Market (SAFM) Chair Hilary Barker: “We had always felt that discerning consumers were getting real value for money at farmers markets, and I’m delighted to see that this is confirmed by the survey results.”

So, it seems that in these times of thrifty solutions, the easiest way to get both value for money and top quality local produce, is at your local Scottish Farmers' Market.

Scottish Farmers' Markets will be at the BBC Good Food Show, at the SECC, Glasgow, this weekend, October 22-24, stand FD2.

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