Veg box schemes deliver fresh fruit and vegetables, often grown locally, straight to your door or a local collection point. Some farms supplement their offer during winter months with imported produce, and many now offer chilled foods, store cupboard essentials and household products.

Buying direct from farms cuts out the middleman, and means that your money is going directly to local producers. This in turn helps strengthen the producer’s role in the food system, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

Farmers’ markets are another way to buy food and drink directly from the people that grow and produce it. As well as being sure that the producer is receiving a price that guarantees a sustainable livelihood, shopping at a farmers’ market provides a great opportunity to speak directly to producers. They’ll be happy to tell you all about their produce and more about the benefits of buying directly from them.