Expats support British economy from comfort of their homes

British expats living around the world now have the option to support the UK economy from afar, and have British produce delivered to their doorsteps.
In the last few years online supermarkets have begun offering expats a home delivery service for their favourite foods from the UK, but up until the last year this has generally been restricted to ambient products such as Bisto Gravy and Marmite.
However, supermarkets such as www.BritishCornerShop.co.uk (BCS) have now started to export fresh produce to selected European countries.
“Initially our service was simply to help Brits abroad enjoy things like, a cup of Tetley Tea in the morning, or a bowl of Heinz Tomato Soup for lunch, but we now also offer a range of chilled products, giving our customers the opportunity to support not only local producers but also the British economy,” said Jo Parker, procurement manager at BCS.
BCS is an online supermarket delivering over 8,000 branded British food, drink, toiletry and household products worldwide, with an annual turnover of £4mln. The company also has both a wholesale consolidation and bulk business and last year delivered over 3 mln goods to 130 countries.
“So far, eight European countries can order in British fruit, vegetables, meats and cheeses from brands such as John Thorner’s, Bernard Matthews and Covent Garden, as well as local producers like Somerset Camembert,” Jo Parker explained.
In light of the recent struggles of British farmers and local producers, highlighted by Environment Secretary Owen Paterson, there is no better time for services like this to exist.
Whether expats are buying from supermarkets such as British Corner Shop because they miss a proper British bacon sandwich, or whether they do so to support the economy, both help British-made products get the support they deserve.
Jo added: “Smaller local producers of products such as British cheese are among the hardest hit, as they struggle to compete against the larger supermarkets. So it’s a real pleasure for us to be able to work with them and give our customers the chance to buy from and support businesses like this,” Jo added.