One year on, Lidl Malta’s decision to start stocking Maltese agricultural produce appears to have given a significant boost to local farmers.
Speaking to WhosWho.mt, Għaqda Bdiewa Attivi president Malcolm Borg praised Lidl’s decision and urged consumers to buy their groceries from retailers that stock local produce.
“Nowadays consumers buy most of their groceries from supermarkets for convenience’s sake, and Lidl is one of the major players in this landscape,” he said.
“I think that Lidl’s decision to start buying local products was a huge boost to local farmers. Obviously it buys in large quantities, so even when it comes to demand and supply and the pricing this affects, it was very beneficial for the local farming community.”
Lidl Malta started stocking Maltese agricultural produce last year following an agreement with the local Farmer Central Cooperative Society (FCCS).
Encouraging people to do their shopping from outlets that stock local produce, Mr Borg said that buying habits make a huge difference to supermarkets’ business decisions.
“If there isn’t enough demand for local produce and supermarkets opt for imported goods because they are likely cheaper and offer higher profit margins, local producers will inevitably be negatively affected,” he explained.
“I always ask consumers to try and understand where their food is coming from. Even though it might look anonymous at a supermarket, try and understand the story behind the food items on offer.”
“If the story is closer to home and doesn’t involve the industrialisation of food and a huge preservation effort through food science, then I think consumers should prefer it over other items.”
