3c hapter - Index of

34 Locavesting
pickles to gin and kombucha. The idea has even taken hold on the
mass market Internet. Online bazaars such as Etsy, Daily Grommet,
and Abe’s Market are thriving by emphasizing the stories of the entrepreneurs
behind the unique products they offer, putting a face and
a set of values on what is typically an impersonal electronic purchase.
In a survey of 4,000 U.S. consumers conducted by the Natural
Marketing Institute in 2010, 41 percent of respondents said they
cared about products made locally. That number has been growing
by 7 percent a year since 2006, said Gwynne Rogers, the institute’s
LOHAS business director (LOHAS stands for Lifestyles of
Health and Sustainability—a consumer demographic composed
of 40 percent of Americans, according to NMI). While the environment
and health were factors (55 percent and 50 percent,
respectively), the biggest motivation was economic: 93 percent of
respondents believe local products are better for their community.
The branding fi rm BBMG, meanwhile, reported that 32 percent
of respondents in a recent study said it was “very important” to
them whether a product was grown or produced locally. And of
1,000 Americans surveyed by WebVisible in 2010, four out of fi ve
said they choose to shop at a local, independent business over
a larger chain. Their reasons: supporting their community, convenience,
and service.
“Consumer interest in local has absolutely grown,” says Peter
Rose, a senior vice president at The Futures Company, which
researches global trends. The factors driving the local movement
are diverse, he says, from a desire for transparency, quality, and
storytelling to environmental and social concerns. “All of these
things suggest that local has some real endurance.”
Perhaps the clearest sign that the local movement has arrived
is the fact that giant corporations are now trying to muscle in on
the trend (as they have already done with organic).
HSBC, a global bank with assets of $2.4 trillion, dubs itself
“The World’s Local Bank,” while Frito- Lay TV ads feature family
farmers that grow its potatoes. A major ad campaign by Chevron
trumpets its support of small businesses and communities in the
areas around the world where it operates. These efforts, however,
often add up to little more than “local washing.” (Chevron,