The power of a local pound

The Power of a Local Pound

You’ve heard it before—“support local.” But what does that mean? And more importantly, where does your money go when you spend it in a local independent shop versus a big chain?

Here’s the truth: every pound you spend is a vote for the kind of world (and town) you want to live in. And when you choose to spend that pound with a local business like The Norfolk Deli, you're doing a whole lot more than just buying cheese or chutney.

The Local Economy: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

The local economy is the web of businesses, jobs, and services that make your community thrive. When money is spent locally, it tends to stay local, supporting not just one business but an entire chain of local suppliers, producers, service providers, and employees. 

For example, what happens to your £1 when you spend it at The Norfolk Deli on a jar of Candi's Chutney?

This is called the local multiplier effect, and it’s a powerful thing. For a really detailed look at this, download The Money Trail from NEF Consulting

The Stats: What the Studies Say

But of course, you don’t have to take our word for it—plenty of UK-based studies back this up:

• The Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES) found that for every £1 spent with a local independent business, up to 70p stays in the local economy. That’s money going towards local wages, local suppliers, and local reinvestment—not disappearing into distant headquarters or shareholder pockets.

• Research from the New Economics Foundation (NEF) found that independent shops generate 70% more local economic activity per pound than chain retailers. In a study of Totnes, Devon, NEF estimated that just a 10% shift in consumer spend to local independents could keep an additional £2 million circulating locally every year. The LM3 Tool is a tool which calculates an organisation's impact on the local economy.

• According to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), local food networks—like farmers’ markets, delis, and local food producers—keep up to three times more money in the local economy than supermarkets.

That means your cheese board isn’t just delicious—it’s a catalyst for community prosperity.

What Happens When You Shop with a Chain?

Compare that to spending with national chains, where only about 5p to 30p of every £1 stays local. The rest? It’s sent to centralised Headquarters absorbed by international supply chains, or paid out as dividends to shareholders.

Chains have their place—but they’re not designed to reinvest in Hunstanton, or support Norfolk cheesemakers, or keep the local high street buzzing. We are.

So Why Shop Local?

Because it means:

• More local jobs

• More community wealth

• More thriving high streets

• More unique products made with passion, not padding

At The Norfolk Deli, we work with over 70 Norfolk-based producers. From artisan cheese and chocolate to small-batch chutneys and Norfolk wine, every item on our shelves tells a local story—and helps keep our region flourishing.

Put Your Pound to Work—Right Here in Norfolk

Next time you spend a pound, ask yourself: where is it going?

We’d love for it to stay right here, where it can make a real difference.

Shop in-store in Hunstanton
Order online at norfolk-deli.co.uk
And don’t forget—every online order also helps plant a tree in the UK.

Let’s build a stronger, tastier, more resilient Norfolk—one pound at a time