Market to Market

‘Market to market, yum to yummy, we know that Major Tom’s a foodie…’

Had the chorus to David Bowie’s 1980 song Ashes to Ashes been written as above, Bowie would not only have remained a brilliant musician, but would also have presaged a large debate in the ‘year of food’: which market should I shop at? The most common options remain the supermarket, local market, and farmer’s market. All have their merits and all have their detractions. As with most debates in the ecological food sphere, the answers are not straightforward and are a balance of taste, social sustainability, and ecological sustainability.

Farmer’s markets perhaps get the most praise. They support local, family farms, and offer freshly picked produce that cuts out the middleman, offering good quality for your money. It is commonly believed they reduce food miles and packaging, hence shrinking your culinary carbon footprint. I happen to be a big supporter of farmer’s markets and shop weekly at the Stoke Newington Farmer’s Market, which is all organic and restricted to producers within 100 miles of London. I agree that the food is especially fresh – greens are picked the day before, the fish is caught within the day, all the meat comes from one farm and is slaughtered and butchered there. You can’t get much closer to having a relationship with those who produce your food, though of course this varies from market to market. If you can get your questions answered directly and succinctly, then you have an idea the merchants know their own stuff.

Packing and transport wise, farmer’s markets seem to be a bit more in question. There are no hard facts or studies out there, mostly because each market, and the farmers who sell their produce, varies tremendously. I would say they probably err on the side of more responsible packaging. The majority of produce is sold in bulk containers, offering small paper bags as containers. This allows shoppers to bring their own if they are particularly eco-minded and paper is much better than the plastic commonly used at the supermarkets, as it can be more readily recycled from home and is a renewable resource. Greens and meat, however, do tend to be packaged in quite a bit of plastic, but this is the exception rather than the norm. Most merchants drive their own produce into the market, generally in smaller lorries. The efficiency of these lorries can be called into question and it seems difficult to tell whether the absolute carbon emissions of your individual purchases is what is important or whether we are considering the aggregate transport emissions of the farm in question. Farms typically sell at multiple markets, some at further distances than others, and these different trips can add up. No one can dispute, however, that farmer’s markets are the best way to support small family farms, a social institution under great threat by the spread of agribusiness. Indeed in many countries (France comes to mind) a great cultural heritage and way of life is under threat. So do, when possible, give some business to your local farmer’s market.


In contrast to a farmer’s market, a local market is an independently owned food shop, perhaps a bit smaller than your average supermarket. These shops may carry a variety of everything in the manner of a supermarket, or they could be your fishmonger, butcher, green grocer, bakery, or cheesemonger. Here are you are paying for a middleman – the retailer itself and, very possibly, a distributor as well. Nonetheless, you are supporting a local enterprise than provides a livelihood for its owners and employees. As these shops are smaller and have less purchasing power than the supermarkets, you have more power to influence them. They can be particularly good at stocking packaged goods (condiments, staples, etc) that are hard to find elsewhere. Many of these shops have an ethical component to them, trying to work with local producers where possible, but other times these efforts are less than stellar. Try to monitor the origin of the fresh produce stocked and pay attention to packaging. Food miles wise, if the food is local, it is probably not much worse than a farmers market, but it all depends on the distribution channel. Ask your local shopkeeper. I also find such shops, with exception of butchers and fishmongers of course, to be rather poor and overpriced places to purchase meat and fish.

Supermarkets are often portrayed as the villain in the effort to green the food supply. They have tremendous pricing power, tend to overlook small producers, and truck things in to giant distribution centres before sending them to their shops. That being said, supermarkets also have economies of scale and can be highly efficient at how they manage their operations. Many are major purchasers of renewable energy. Their lorries are liable to be newer and have smaller carbon emissions per kg of food transported. In some respects supermarkets may be far more efficient about how they use energy than farmers markets (food miles wise) or local markets. Again, look to see the origin of the produce and pay particular attention to packaging. Many supermarkets, such as Sainsbury’s, now have compostable packaging and TetaPak containers. They will also provide recycling facilities at their stores for packaging that cannot be recycled through your local scheme. Tesco has pioneered carbon footprint labelling on some of its products. Avoid, however, purchasing products that are out of season (strawberries in winter) as supermarkets will continue to stock these items so long as customers buy them. For staples and non-speciality items, especially in these economic times, supermarkets have a place and can indeed be green.

Given the mixed bag of eco credentials for each type of market, the solution seems to err on the side of giving your business to a bit of each, paying attention to which particular is the greenest in each category. Supermarkets commonly deliver for a very small fee, so a quick online shop for your staples and basics is relatively easy. Picking up those speciality items is a great way to support your local market and can be done spontaneously. To finish up the week, a weekend trip to a farmer’s market is a great way to get yourself out of the house for a stock up on produce from producers you trust. Such a plan will reduce your environmental impact without taking up too much time, and provide the best tasting food for your money. Re-use and recycle packaging wherever possible, and remember to ask questions and shop where the values are green. All markets have a place in our lives – let’s keep the ones that respect our environment.