What are the advantages of buying this type of product in the context of a global market?
The km 0 as such is a concept that means short distance consumption . Its objective is to reduce the steps from when the producer collects a food to be sold until the consumer puts it in his mouth. It is an alternative to large-scale food supply.
The 10 good reasons to buy local products
This way of marketing products benefits producers, consumers and humanity itself and the planet. Next we are going to see what are the 10 reasons to buy these proximity products .
1. They are fresher products
Proximity products are tastier . At the time of harvesting, they keep their properties intact, which is why they provide a better nutritional content.
Proximity products are by definition seasonal. You only find seasonal products, naturally fresh without the need for preservatives. They also haven’t been in cold storage or packaged for weeks like products that travel thousands of miles before you buy them.
2. You enjoy seasonal smells and flavors
In the market we can find products that come from Chile, Morocco or New Zealand. They can even be organic food , although they have been grown on the other side of the planet.
Local consumption allows you to rediscover the typical flavors of the products that are born in your land. Each season is different for the palate, sight and smell. Respecting the natural cycle of fruits and vegetables makes them taste great.
3. You respect and promote biodiversity
With local consumption, we respect the continued production and conservation of native varieties of different agri-food species , some in danger of disappearing. Many are very unknown to most of the population, as they are outside the large circles of consumption.
4. It is faithful to your wishes as a consumer
Consumers are increasingly aware and informed about the characteristics of nutrition and food safety . Knowing about the origin of your food and other products will help you make good purchasing decisions and question many things.
In this way, the value of the product is not only based on the price, but also has the meaning that consumers recognize.
5. It has the value you pay
We already know that from the moment the producer sends the product until it reaches our mouths, there is a very large associated cost. The packaging, the refrigerators to preserve the product until it is finally sent to its destination … everything increases costs.
We also live in a globalized world, and the fact that products can be sent from one side of the world to the other makes this look aggrieved. Labor in many countries is cheaper and the transport of products from one place to another is encouraged, paying for the fuel of ships, trucks, etc.
6. You avoid large-scale distribution can
In countries with cheaper production prices, we are encouraging consumption that is not a good model for the community or for the planet. Furthermore, monocultures and pesticides are indispensable for this business model.
If we buy locally we are not promoting this consumption model that greatly harms local producers. In addition, feeding the model is not good for the peasants of underdeveloped countries who produce and produce without having a sufficient reward for their work.
7. We take care of the planet
If we choose local products we are promoting environmental health and fighting against climate change. The emission of polluting and greenhouse gases is a fact when we talk about distribution at a global level.
In addition, once all the plastic packaging and containers have been used, they must be recycled or it is a serious problem for the planet. The accumulation of plastic waste only increases year after year.
8. You protect your health
Mass production is indisputably associated with monocultures and the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, herbicides… It is a set of chemical substances that should not be part of our food naturally
They can be harmful to our health, especially to our nervous systems and in the case of children and the elderly. This does not mean that the proximity product is organic, since it does not have to have any certificate. It is based more on the trust established between the producer and the consumer .
9. You keep the traditions
Local products give importance to tradition. The way of doing things as always is an added value. In addition, it is increasingly valued, and there are already many quality restaurants with a slow food philosophy that advocate the use of this type of product .
Therefore, trust in local sales is worth more than the ecological seal itself. The communities in your area are favored and the immediate environment is promoted. This helps small family, agricultural and livestock farms to continue operating.
10. You participate in a fair local economy
The future of a person depends on being able to earn a good living . If we accept a market in which those who produce earn very little, we are doing the world a disservice. In addition, the empowerment of those who produce can change the pace of things globally.
A fair local economy with a future for people creates forms of exchange and cooperation between producers and consumers that benefit everyone. Mass consumption is in the hands of large companies, and they only look out for their interests, making many of what they give to producers not at fair prices.
Bibliographic references
- Montagut, X. (2006). Globalized food: food sovereignty and fair trade. Barcelona: Icara.
- Paoletti , MG , Stinner , BR and Lorenzoni , GG (1989). Agricultural Ecology and Environment. New York: Elsevier Science Publisher BV
- Reguera, P. and Iglesias, P. (2015). Asturias, local cuisine. Oviedo: Nobel Editions.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.