Residents in St Edmundsbury can get great value for money by doing their weekly shop at their local market, new research has shown.
A ‘shopping basket’ survey carried out by the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF) compared the prices of goods sold on local markets with those on offer at supermarkets. The results showed that fresh produce available at provisions markets, such as those held in Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill, is around 32% cheaper than at supermarkets.
Over the course of a year, anyone who does their shopping at their local market rather than a supermarket could save hundreds of pounds while also reducing their carbon footprint by cutting down on food miles.
The news comes as the popular Bury market, held twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays, welcomed several new and diverse stalls. These include an organic take away, which sells locally sourced products in recycled packaging, a new delicatessen and a noodle stall which sells freshly made hot food.
And in Haverhill, the market is also continuing to thrive, selling everything from fruit and vegetables, bread and meat to textiles, household goods and other non-perishables.
Cllr Nigel Aitkens, St Edmundsbury’s Cabinet member with responsibility for markets, said:
“The results of this survey support what we have said for some time – that our local markets offer excellent quality and value for money. We would encourage anyone who hasn’t paid a visit to them recently to do so. The last few months have seen stalls altering the products they offer as their customers’ tastes change, and there is now a huge variety of goods on offer.
“We have also seen demand for stalls increase and have had no spare capacity for casual traders in Bury St Edmunds over the past few weeks as the market has been so busy. This is very encouraging news and we are confident this level of trading will continue up until Christmas and into the new year.”
Earlier this year, the 1,000-year-old market in Bury was handed a prestigious national honour when it became one of only three in the country to be awarded ‘highly commended’ status in the National Association of British Market Authorities Market of the Year contest.
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Note to editors: The results of the NMTF survey show that collectively, households in the UK could save £4.2m if they did their shopping at markets instead of at supermarkets.
Issued by: Liz Hearnshaw, Communications Unit, St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Phone: 01284 757034. Email: liz.hearnshaw@stedsbc.gov.uk
