In this day and age, food is becoming a topic of interest among people around the world, one phenomenon of which is the fact that consumers nowadays prefer imported food to local one. This is because of several reasons that depend on their trust, curiosity and the uniqueness imported products offer. Therefore, in order to encourage people to buy local food, some feasible solutions should be done by both the producers and governments. Initially, with the ever-changing demand for the quality of food, consumers tend to rely on international brands, which are famous for their history and their marketing strategies. For instance, Oreo, one of the most popular brands, outstands others in the competitive food market due to their success in creating trust from consumers with their long-term history. Moreover, with the advent of the Internet, people are more likely to be curious about the taste of food they see on social media, especially food that they have never tried before. This influence, therefore, allows imported food that are produced in other nations to attract consumers. Additionally, the food’s quality also depends largely on the way they are grown and produced. This leads to a uniqueness in local products that cannot be imitated in other countries. As a result, this feature contributes significantly to the requirement of imported food among purchasers.
In spite of the aforementioned reasons, manufacturers and governments should take actions to encourage local consumerism. One solution is that technologies and special techniques in farming should be advanced and developed, thereby improving food quality and promoting individual’s trust in local brands. More importantly, governments should provide farmers with subsidies, which not only reduce cultivating costs but also support their quality of lives. Another solution is awareness raising that often offers effective results than expected. For example, by increasing the number of fairs, slogans, and advertisements relating to benefits of eating local food, governments can positively affect people’s mindset, somehow motivating them to buy local products. Furthermore, despite some demerits, governments still can impose taxes on imported products. In other words, their prices may increase, simultaneously declining the demand for them. One example can be seen in the USA, where food in other nations always has higher prices, while national food prices are generally lower and affordable for consumers. Subsequently, if these solutions are implemented, the governments and producers will successfully boost the public interest in local food.
In conclusion, although imported food is constantly attracting people, local food still has opportunities to approach consumers. By improving farming tools, providing financial support, raising awareness, and raising taxes, local food can become more appealing to consumers from now and then.