We must address the fact that not every business would be able to have a fully local supply chain. As a collective, Devon manufactures and produces some brilliant high-quality products. However, they are not as diverse as other counties or countries. We think that it is important to try and buy local whenever possible even if this is a small part of your supply chain that gets amended. It is more reliable in times of extreme weather, conflict, or lack of global produce etc. A good initial place to look is Made in Devon or check out North Devon Manufacturers Association to see if there are local products you can substitute.
Some work carried out by Devon Communities together found that when there were local supply chain issues during the pandemic, the larger retailers were out competing the smaller businesses for products and goods due to minimum orders and higher delivery costs. Left with no choice they found more reliable local providers which improved their business security.
