Why buy local food?

Local food is an important part of everyday life for those of us who are concerned about the quality of our food. However, even today, there are many individuals who are only driven by price when shopping for food. However, price is just one aspect on which to make decisions during the buying process. If you choose to buy local products, you are contributing not only to an ecological but also an economic choice that will affect us all in the long run. You will be pleasing your body and the economic situation in your region, while helping to preserve its natural wealth. If you choose to visit the farmers’ markets in your region, you can be almost certain that the fruit or vegetables you choose are fresh and you don’t have to worry about how the food must have been preserved during the long transport from the country of production to the supermarket. Carbon footprint is an increasingly hot topic these days. If you, like several million people around the world, are interested in environmental and energy saving options, trust that buying meat from your region will not consume as much fossil fuel as buying an Argentinian steak. Doesn’t that sound great?

 

Another way of reducing the environmental impact is buying seasonal fruit and vegetables from your region. When are fruit and vegetables in season across Europe?

The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) has created a pioneering tool for you to explore and follow a more sustainable diet.

On the map you will see Europe’s six climatic regions. Each climatic region represents the average weather conditions in the area over a long period of time. As different types of fruits and vegetables grow better in different climates, you will see that some fruits and vegetables are in season in some countries, while they are not in others.

 

Please note that the lists may not be comprehensive and can vary depending on climatic change or where you live. We developed this map by combining various European national sources: while most of them include fruit and vegetables that are both local and seasonal, some may only refer to seasonal produce. If you see your country’s data missing and you know a credible source, let us know at eufic@eufic.org.