Origin? value is the priority A report commissioned by the General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland last year showed seven out of 10 consumers now do their main food and grocery shopping in a supermarket or symbol store. Only a minority still do so in a traditional specialist or neighbourhood corner shop. Products such as fresh fruit, vegetables and meat which used to be bought in small specialist shops, are now much more likely to be bought in a supermarket or symbol store. Convenience is the single most important influence on where consumers choose to shop. Perceived value for money and a good variety of choice of goods are also important influences. Fewer than a third of consumers now do their main grocery shopping in town centres or the traditional high street. Around 70% of consumers use the family car or have access to a neighbour's car to do their main grocery shopping. But the vast majority of shoppers ­ over 90% ­ still want to have the choice of being able to buy products manufactured in Northern Ireland and believe large supermarkets still have a duty to support local produce. In practice, however, fewer than one third regularly make a point of looking for products made in the province, emphasising the fact most people put value for money over product origin. The majority of Northern Ireland consumers (67%) believe the arrival of new supermarkets has been beneficial. But around one in four take the view that the arrival of supermarkets has made no difference to everyday lives. {{Z SUPPLEMENTS }}