The Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA) scheme aims to make it cheaper and easier for small producers to supply to local retailers and public institutions like schools, hospitals and prisons.

The initiative helps small firms ensure their safety procedures are up to scratch, without it costing an arm and a leg to do so.

It is the first time there has been a UK-wide scheme like this; previously, producers' ability to meet safety requirements was judged on a case-by-case basis.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) reported that Jeff Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Farming and Food, said the scheme would help retailers and caterers expand their ranges of locally produced food "safe in the knowledge" that relevant regulations had been met.