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Our Co-op to source food locally
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The subject of the Radco Co-op store on the High Street has often come into the discussions at our meetings because of where most of the fresh produce has originated.I met their Chief Executive Keith Tindall recently and he told me that to be able to offer the best deals they have to purchase the majority of their stock centrally and therefore all the well known brands are available at competitive prices. Fresh produce is also purchased centrally and has to “comply” with all the usual regulations, the main one being the ability to track the whole history of any product. Locally produced foods require a local compliance team and that is where the costs start to make them non viable. This circle is being broken at some stores within the Co-op “family” of companies who are finding ways to enable the full compliance to be afforded. Already in operation in the Swindon and Oxford area it is called Local Harvest. The Chew Magna outlet has not yet subscribed to such a scheme but perhaps it can be persuaded to do so? Mr Tindall is interested to hear more about Go Zero and what his local customers want in the store. Whether we can persuade him to review the stocking of local food is, in part, now up to you. As it is a members organisation perhaps more of us becoming members is a good step towards making positive change in our local store. Denise Perrin |
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