Buying locally - do you and why?

[Stravinsk]

In an ever increasing world market - do you try to buy local, and if so, why?

The other day at the supermarket I noticed there was some garlic being offered from Australia and some from China. The Chinese version was picture perfect looking garlic, and the was around $16 dollars/kilo - while the Aussie garlic looked more like something that was grown in someone's backyard - it was imperfect but looked more authentic to my eye. The Aussie garlic was $25 per kilo. Stories over the years of Chinese producers trying to rip off world markets for a buck made me consider - and then I decided that it would just be better to buy local for both supporting Aussie growers and wariness of Chinese goods.

Do you distrust products coming in from places like China or perhaps other countries?

Do a youtube search for ' plastic rice China ' to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I buy from Coles or Woolworths so some products are imported from overseas and most are either local or from other parts of Australia.

 

[ImaginaryDay2]

We seem to have an overabundance of farm markets in the area here, so it's relatively simple to buy local. The same was true when I was in the states. The quality is much better. Not far from here is an excellent fruit growing region, and when it's in season nothing beats it. Also a number of local wineries, but...

 

[MoreCoffee]

We seem to have an overabundance of farm markets in the area here, so it's relatively simple to buy local. The same was true when I was in the states. The quality is much better. Not far from here is an excellent fruit growing region, and when it's in season nothing beats it. Also a number of local wineries, but...

Buying from local farmer's markets can be good if the farmers have good produce for sale. Growing your own foods is good too. Easy things like Tomatoes, beans, and onions or Potatoes.

 

[tango]

I buy local when it makes sense. Locally grown fresh produce in the summer is vastly cheaper than the supermarket and much better quality as well, so it's a no-brainer for me.

In general I prefer to support the local business over the corporate giant, as long as they support me back. If the local business treats me like they have an automatic right to my business merely because they exist, chances are they won't actually get my business. But where I lived before my local bicycle shop got a lot of business from me even though they were more expensive than buying online, simply because they looked after me well and helped me out of trouble more than once. Likewise my local hardware store gets most of my business, unless I need something they can't get me or the price at the big box store is significantly cheaper. They look after me well there too.

 

[Albion]

I tend to do that also, but only if they treat me well in return, as you said.

The big box stores employ local people, so I think of them as also being supported by me if I shop there, and that keeps me from being a proponent of shopping locally in all cases.

 

[tango]

I tend to do that also, but only if they treat me well in return, as you said.

The big box stores employ local people, so I think of them as also being supported by me if I shop there, and that keeps me from being a proponent of shopping locally in all cases.

True, although I think I'd rather see local people employed by local companies, rather than local people employed by corporate behemoths like Wally World who don't need to care about their staff because they figure it's easy to replace the ones who get upset.

 

[MoreCoffee]

Even the imported goods - from China mainly nowadays - keeps some people in work who might otherwise be in poverty.

 

[Albion]

True, although I think I'd rather see local people employed by local companies, rather than local people employed by corporate behemoths like Wally World who don't need to care about their staff because they figure it's easy to replace the ones who get upset.

I understand, but the big boxes rely upon locals, too, so I am reluctant to punish them because their employer is a large corporation. Often, their jobs did not exist in the small local stores before the biggies came to town.

 

[Imalive]

I buy local cause thats not so far biking. I prefer to go to the shop 50 m from here. Where they import their stuff from I don't really care about, except w strawberries, the Dutch are far better than the Greek or where ever they come from.
We also have cheap Turkish stores in some places from the local Turkish ppl. Tastes good and it's cheap.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I buy local cause thats not so far biking. I prefer to go to the shop 50 m from here. Where they import their stuff from I don't really care about, except w strawberries, the Dutch are far better than the Greek or where ever they come from.
We also have cheap Turkish stores in some places from the local Turkish ppl. Tastes good and it's cheap.

Food is cheaper in France isn't it?

 

[Imalive]

Food is cheaper in France isn't it?

Really? Oh I'll go there. Some ppl go drive to Poland to get cheap cigarettes and stuff.

 

[tango]

I understand, but the big boxes rely upon locals, too, so I am reluctant to punish them because their employer is a large corporation. Often, their jobs did not exist in the small local stores before the biggies came to town.

Perhaps, although from what I've heard from people who work at places like Wally World it's borderline whether they'd be better off out of work.

Given the choice I'd still rather support a local business employing local people, rather than the kind of cash suction machines like Wally World that take money and remove most of it from the community.

I really like the sticker I've seen in a few places now, that says when you buy from a local store you're helping fund a little girl's band uniform or a little boy's first baseball bat, rather than helping a billionaire buy his third yacht. To a large extent I think it's true, again assuming the local store supports me back.

I mentioned my local hardware store already, and the bicycle store that used to be near me until I moved. On the flip side another local(ish) hardware store is a place I really dislike because it feels like the staff have given up, most of what they have for sale is covered in enough dust it's clear they're not selling much, the prices are too high and the customer service is lacking. The last time I was there the guy who was "helping" me (I use the term loosely) was eating a bag of chips. He was talking to me through a mouthful of chips, every time he finished his mouthful he paused talking for long enough to shove more chips in his mouth before continuing to talk, and I could barely make out a word he was saying thanks to the mouthful of chips he was chewing. I only go there as a last resort. Where I used to live there was a local computer store and I thought they might be able to help me when I needed a hard drive cloned. Sadly they saw an opportunity to take advantage of me (at least they appeared to think so) and when I queried the way they casually doubled the price on me they just said it was their policy. So instead of having them do the work I bought a cable for less than 1/4 of the price they wanted and did the work myself in a day where they said they'd need a week. I later found out they took advantage of someone who truly didn't know any better, charging them labor for the time it took to copy files from one drive to another. The person didn't realise that you don't need a techie guy to sit and look at the screen for the five hours it takes to copy files.

 

[Albion]

Perhaps, although from what I've heard from people who work at places like Wally World it's borderline whether they'd be better off out of work.

No one's forcing them to work there, are they?

 

[tango]

No one's forcing them to work there, are they?

Probably not, but then I have no idea how the welfare system works in the US. I'm sure some people are happy there but from the way some people talk I wonder why they put up with it for the sake of less then $8/hour.

 

[Imalive]

Perhaps, although from what I've heard from people who work at places like Wally World it's borderline whether they'd be better off out of work.

Given the choice I'd still rather support a local business employing local people, rather than the kind of cash suction machines like Wally World that take money and remove most of it from the community.

I really like the sticker I've seen in a few places now, that says when you buy from a local store you're helping fund a little girl's band uniform or a little boy's first baseball bat, rather than helping a billionaire buy his third yacht. To a large extent I think it's true, again assuming the local store supports me back.

I mentioned my local hardware store already, and the bicycle store that used to be near me until I moved. On the flip side another local(ish) hardware store is a place I really dislike because it feels like the staff have given up, most of what they have for sale is covered in enough dust it's clear they're not selling much, the prices are too high and the customer service is lacking. The last time I was there the guy who was "helping" me (I use the term loosely) was eating a bag of chips. He was talking to me through a mouthful of chips, every time he finished his mouthful he paused talking for long enough to shove more chips in his mouth before continuing to talk, and I could barely make out a word he was saying thanks to the mouthful of chips he was chewing. I only go there as a last resort. Where I used to live there was a local computer store and I thought they might be able to help me when I needed a hard drive cloned. Sadly they saw an opportunity to take advantage of me (at least they appeared to think so) and when I queried the way they casually doubled the price on me they just said it was their policy. So instead of having them do the work I bought a cable for less than 1/4 of the price they wanted and did the work myself in a day where they said they'd need a week. I later found out they took advantage of someone who truly didn't know any better, charging them labor for the time it took to copy files from one drive to another. The person didn't realise that you don't need a techie guy to sit and look at the screen for the five hours it takes to copy files.

Oh. They stimulate to buy there? Most small private stores are gone here, well, for groceries and stuff. They were insanely expensive and Dutch don't want to pay a cent too much. There are vegetable stores, but I find that so unhandy to go to different stores to get your stuff and leave it in your bike bag or the other shop thinks you stole it and then watch out noone steals it from your bike. Plus you're busy for hours. My dad does that, go to 2 grocery stores for 10 things, cause one is cheaper, but doesn't have everything. Then he just drives to the otger part of town to pick the other 5 itemps up. He's a real Dutch man who has lived in the hunger winter of WWII. Never spend an unnecessary cent and rather walk a mile than pay a euro to park your car.
LOL talking w a mouth full of chips hahahahaha.

 

[tango]

In theory the supermarkets were a great idea, and if they actually delivered the promise they could be a good idea.

The trouble is that "everything under one roof" only works if you can, you know, actually get what you're looking for. I lost count of the number of times my wife would come back from the week's grocery shopping without some ingredient or other that was crucial to the meals we planned, because the supermarket didn't have any. Then comes the idea that they buy in bulk and pass the savings on to you, the consumer. Yeah, right. It's great when it works but when the little guy on the street corner can sell stuff cheaper than the corporate behemoth you know something has gone awry in the process.

Then comes the issues with product quality. Sure, they'll refund anything that doesn't satisfy. Sadly that only goes so far, because by the time you realise they sold you garbage (again) you've taken it home and probably either tried to eat it or, worse, served it to a dinner guest only to find it's either bad or tasteless. Not to worry, return it (at your own expense, naturally) and they'll give you your money back.

 

[Asuk]

In an ever increasing world market - do you try to buy local, and if so, why?

The other day at the supermarket I noticed there was some garlic being offered from Australia and some from China. The Chinese version was picture perfect looking garlic, and the was around $16 dollars/kilo - while the Aussie garlic looked more like something that was grown in someone's backyard - it was imperfect but looked more authentic to my eye. The Aussie garlic was $25 per kilo. Stories over the years of Chinese producers trying to rip off world markets for a buck made me consider - and then I decided that it would just be better to buy local for both supporting Aussie growers and wariness of Chinese goods.

Do you distrust products coming in from places like China or perhaps other countries?

Do a youtube search for ' plastic rice China ' to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Mate, I’m American but I’ve been to the land down under and it looked like China.

 

[ValleyGal]

I prefer local. I had an injury and can't drive for a while, so husband brought some groceries for me. The blackberries are imported from Mexico, but tasted like chemicals, not fruit. I didn't eat them. Local is much better - in the summer, blackberries grow wild here, no chemicals involved. Local is best, even if it is a little more costly.

 

[MoreCoffee]

I prefer local. I had an injury and can't drive for a while, so husband brought some groceries for me. The blackberries are imported from Mexico, but tasted like chemicals, not fruit. I didn't eat them. Local is much better - in the summer, blackberries grow wild here, no chemicals involved. Local is best, even if it is a little more costly.

Buy Blackberry Jam/conserve