Local statistics

To understand more about the type of people who live in your area and who may use your food co-op, you can look at statistics such as the Census and reports from organisations like the local council or primary care trust (PCT). This information can be useful to include in funding bids and business plans.

This section is particularly relevant for food co-ops that are being set up to improve access to good food through increasing access to fruit and vegetables or employment. For these types of projects, data may be useful on, for example, rates of employment and diet-related diseases in the area, such as heart disease, diabetes or obesity.

What information is available?

You can find general information on the type of people who live in your area, such as the age profile, whether a lot of people are employed or whether they have cars. You can find statistics that relate to your region, county, or city, town or village, down to particular postcodes, wards or 'super output areas' which cover just a few streets.

What statistics you choose to look at depends on the area that your food co-op will cover. Unfortunately, although there are some national statistics about fruit and vegetable consumption and diets more broadly, there is not a lot of accurate information on this at a local level.

Accessing the information

Public Health Reports are produced by every local primary care trust (PCT) and should be available on local PCT websites.

Food strategies are also produced by some local councils and PCTs and often start with a summary of the area. Search on relevant websites or phone them up to ask for details. Your local council may also have other documents that contain relevant information, such as a Community Strategy or Local Area Agreement.

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