Knowing where their food is from matters more than ever to UK consumers, with new research from The Knowledge Bank revealing a growing appetite for food and drink from Scotland across the country.
The study found that nearly half (44%) of shoppers in the rest of the UK who are more likely to buy Scottish products, do so because they believe they are higher quality. High standards of production, supporting the local economy, reliable availability and freshness were also key purchase drivers. More than half (56%) would like to see more Scottish options on grocery store shelves, a strong call to action for retailers.
Demonstrating this passion for Scottish products, a shopper from Northern Ireland noted buying Scottish food and drink “means fresher, often higher-quality produce” while a West Midlander explained, “I trust the food from there.” A North Englander who said he was more likely to buy products labelled Scottish explained it was because “they are experts in cattle and livestock.”ASouthLondoner also pointed out “I always buy Scottish… I know there are well-run [salmon] farms up there.”
Within Scotland, shoppers have a strong sense of pride around buying Scottish products and would feel “annoyed”, “sad” or “disappointed” if they disappeared from shelves. Nearly 8 in 10 actively look for or prefer groceries made in Scotland, driven by freshness, quality and a desire to support the local economy.
As one Scottish shopper put it, “The products produced in Scotland taste a lot better.”
Carol Saunders, Head of Insight at The Knowledge Bank, said: “It’s great to see the growing appreciation for Scottish food and drink across the whole of the UK. Consumers clearly recognise what we’ve long known – that we have a wide basket of amazing food and drink in Scotland, which stand out for their quality, flavour and the care that goes into making them.
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“We may be famous for whisky, shortbread and salmon, but we have so much more to offer from cheese and gin to haggis and black pudding. With Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time to treat yourself or gift others a taste of Scotland.”
The survey is an update to provenance research focused on retail last commissioned by The Knowledge Bank in 2023; this is the first time since 2021 it has included detailed data on consumer perspectives of Scottish products through the rest of the UK with a representative sample of the national UK population.
