Small shops get green backing
The green lobby is getting behind independent shops and is urging the public to do the same.
Friends of the Earth (FOE) is launching Shop Local First as the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) looks into the role of the big supermarkets.
FOE says that unless shoppers' habits change, the traditional high street as we know it could be wiped out.
Figures show that 2,000 independent shops folded in 2004 - and FOE insists the supermarkets' dominance is to blame.
FOE campaigner Sandra Bell said:
"Local shops are being put out of business on a daily basis because of the growing power of the supermarkets."Popping into your local shop for a pint of milk will no longer be an option unless more shoppers change the way they shop."
