01-07-09

Buy Local Campaign Gains Momentum

‘Buy Local’ campaigns are not new.

For years, independent businesses have joined together to persuade local customers to spend more of their pounds closer to home.

But with the current economic downturn forcing many of us to make tough buying decisions both at home and at work, the ‘Buy Local’ argument seems to be gaining momentum.

The economic argument behind buy local campaigns goes like this: Spending at local businesses, rather than at national chain stores or online, helps local economies because those firms are more likely to employ local people, buy from local suppliers and hire local service providers.

The jobs that those pounds support stay in the community, rather than going to chains that consolidate their suppliers and back-office functions elsewhere. The profits, too, stay with local owners who spend in the community, rather than going to out-of-town owners or shareholders.

But is it always clear whether or not we are buying local?

A Tesco store was recently chastised for selling milk branded as 'local' despite being produced 150 miles away.

And a Danish food manufacturer with a processing and packaging plant in Bodmin, Cornwall was criticised for packaging bacon as ‘Cornish’ with photographs of rolling green hills and a Cornish address when in fact the origin of the meat was elsewhere in the EU.

When it comes to buying legal services, how can you make sure you ‘go local’?

Fastmove is a collaboration of independent lawyers in Devon and Cornwall who support the use of local conveyancers, estate agents, independent financial consultants (IFA’s) and removal firms throughout the home moving process.

If you are moving home and buying through one of the larger, corporate estate agencies they will try to persuade you to use one of their conveyancing firms.

As the agent’s office is in Plymouth, you may think you are supporting a local firm.

But the reality may mean you are using a corporate conveyancing house in Cardiff, Birmingham or even Calcutta!

Don’t be bullied. As the client you have the right to choose and it is in your best interests and in the interests of our local economy to select a local lawyer rather than a firm which is, in effect, a call centre miles away.

By using a lawyer that carries the Fastmove sign you will be supporting our campaign to help build a vibrant local economy by keeping money circulating locally rather than elsewhere.