The Votes Are In, The Poll Is Closed

Back at the end of July, I set up a small poll on choices in food purchasing. This was never meant to be a comprehensive scientific survey, just a quick way of highlighting the factors that Joe Public has to consider when choosing from the huge range of goods offered by the typical retailer.

The editorial team has decided that the poll has been cluttering up our site for long enough, so the time has come to shut it down and review the 'results'.

29 vistors to this site have taken part in the poll. Of those, the overwhelming majority (69%) favour buying local goods, even though they're grown inorganically. Another 21% would choose organic, and would find transporting from Eastern Europe acceptable. Only 10% would choose Kenyan Fairtrade organic.

It would be completely unreasonable to claim this result as a defeat for those who advocate increased trade with developing countries, or as a victory for those who support localisation of food production. Hopefully, however, it has given some food for thought about the complexity of buying decisions and the issues involved.