Barclays proprietary data has found spend at independent food and drink businesses has rocketed by 58 per cent when comparing 2021 figures with 2019. On average, spending in November has grown by 24 per cent year-on-year since 2019.

Christmas is a critical trading month for independent food and drink business, and those outlets who source their groceries sustainably could benefit from a £5m boom.

Over half of people in Northern Ireland (58 per cent) said that they have noticed an independent food & drinks shop or market stall opening near to where they live over the past two years.

New food outlets

When asked which new food outlets they’d seen opening over the past two years on their high streets, the most common were market stalls (33 per cent), independent grocers (33 per cent), independent bakers (31 per cent), independent butchers (30 per cent) and local farm shops (29 per cent).

Almost three in ten people (28 per cent) said they will buy produce at these businesses this Christmas as they think it will reduce their carbon footprint, while over a third (36 per cent) are drawn to their premises as it means they don’t have to drive anywhere.

Four in 10 consumers in Northern Ireland (41 per cent) said they have become more climate-conscious this festive season due to the media attention on protecting the planet this year. This has had an impact on festive shopping routines, with over a quarter (26 per cent) of respondents saying they have checked the sustainability credentials of the shops they’re ordering from, and 27 per cent going out of their way to buy food that is organic or sustainably sourced.

Hannah Bernard, Head of Business Banking at Barclays, said: “It’s great news that many UK shoppers are trying to shop in a more environmentally friendly way and support local independent businesses this festive season. The increase in spend will provide a very welcome boost to many retailers.

“Over half of small businesses in the UK consider reducing their environmental impact a top priority, and we know that many of our customers are taking steps to become more sustainable and play a key role in tackling the climate crisis. We’re committed to providing the support that our customers need to help them drive that positive social and environmental change.”

To find out more about how Barclays can help support your business visit https://www.barclays.co.uk/business-banking/

The post NI consumers ‘would spend £3.70 a head more on Christmas meals if sustainably sourced’ first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.

Hydroponic vertical farming is an innovative farming method that allows greens to be grown in Ireland all year round whatever the weather, significantly reducing food miles and time between farm to shelves.

The new products, available now on shelves around Ireland, are Signature Tastes Italian Style Microgreen Mix and Signature Tastes Microgreen SuperMix.

Hydroponics is the process of growing plants without using soil. In traditional growing, soil is a major source of nutrients for plants but with hydroponics, alternatives to those nutrients are directly fed to plants instead and so the use of soil can be removed completely and growing moved indoors.

In addition to the Microgreens, the Signature Tastes Growing Pea shoots are also launching in SuperValu stores. These are also grown using innovative soil-free methods but are grown on a bed of compostable paper. The zero waste Growing Pea Shoots are a living product so customers can cut as much as they want and the plant keeps growing.

SuperValu’s Signature Tastes Microgreens and Growing Pea shoots are sustainably grown and herbicide and pesticide free.

As they have been grown in a soil-free environment, this reduces strain on land-based resources and customers get great-tasting, nutrient rich greens with fewer negative impacts on the environment.

The new products are already winning awards with the Signature Tastes Pea Shoots taking home the Chefs Larder Award and the Signature Tastes Italian Style Microgreen Mix winning a PLMA Salute to Excellence Award.

SuperValu’s new products are grown in Co. Meath by McCormack Family farms and can make it to shelves in less than 48 hours, meaning less fuel waste in transit and minimal loss of freshness.

Ian Allen, Managing Director, SuperValu, said: “We are delighted to be the first retailer in Ireland to introduce these new products to our customers around the country.

“Given the environmental benefits of vertical hydroponic farming we’re delighted to be able to offer customers locally grown options, where previously products would have to be transported from countries in warmer climates when they’re out of season. This is just one of our steps to becoming more sustainable and making positive environmental impacts in every community we operate in around Ireland.”

 SuperValu will reduce its carbon footprint in Ireland by 70 per cent by 2025 and in addition to moving to sustainable packaging SuperValu is committed to operating all facilities with 100 percent green electricity and to sending no recoverable waste to landfill.

Any food surplus in stores is sent to re-distribution charities so food waste is minimised as well as helping to alleviate food poverty.

Caption: Stephen McCormack, McCormack Family Farms with the hydroponically grown SuperValu Signature Tastes Microgreen Mixes

The post SuperValu’s vegetables reach new heights with launch of Ireland’s first hydroponically grown microgreen mixes first appeared on Neighbourhood Retailer.