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Headline: Cryptic Crop Circle Appears In British Field

Caption: British cereal producer, Weetabix, has today (1Sep20) revealed that they are the brains behind a stunning crop circle with a cryptic message which has appeared in the British countryside during this year’s annual harvest - all to raise awareness of the value of locally produced food to the UK economy. The creation, which was carefully produced by a team of four people over a period of 36 hours, features a cereal bowl and spoon, along with the words ‘committed to 50 miles’. The proclamation highlights the Burton Latimer-based company’s commitment to only using wheat sourced from within 50 miles of its factory in Northamptonshire. The images from Antony Pearce’s wheat field at Moat Farm, Stoke Mandeville appeared after it was revealed that shoppers estimate 28 per cent of their shopping basket is made up of local produce, with 30 per cent stating the pandemic has made them realise how important locally sourced products are to the economy. Antony Pearce commented: “As a British farmer it's comforting to see some positives emerge from the first half of the year with people looking to support local businesses more and seeking to have a greater understanding of where their food comes from. We have grown the highest quality wheat to meet Weetabix’s high standards for 10 years and are proud to be one of the farms that fall within the 50-mile radius of their factory.” The study of 2,000 adults, commissioned by Weetabix, found that 48 per cent of Brits actively look for locally sourced items in the supermarket, with almost a third of those polled saying they have been more supportive of local British businesses both during and since lockdown, than ever before. Of the 48 per cent actively looking for locally sourced items when shopping, more than a third do so to be more ethical in their shopping habits, whilst over two thirds hope to support local farmers and almost half do so for healthier and fresher produce. A further 51 per cent believe that by ‘buying local’ they are helping the economy and 45 per cent hope to reduce their ‘food miles’ - the distance food has travelled before it arrives at our homes. In fact, more than a third say they check the food miles of items when shopping by looking up the country of origin, believing the benefits of buying goods with fewer food miles to be include a lower carbon footprint (64 per cent), helping preserve UK farms (54 per cent) and less pollution (57 per cent). When it comes to meals, breakfast is believed to be the dish with the least food miles behind it – possibly due to the likes of eggs, cereals and milk. A further 29 per cent also believe fewer food miles will mean they receive healthier food and 58 per cent think the goods will be fresher as they have travelled less. Francesca Theokli, Marketing Director for Weetabix commented: “Our study showed that more than two thirds believe companies are not transparent enough about where their food is grown and produced. So we wanted to create this crop circle to highlight our ongoing commitment to locally sourcing the highest quality wheat from a 50 mile radius of our home in Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire and help consumers make an informed choice when selecting what to have for breakfast. "There are many ways Brits can support local farmers and being careful about where breakfast is sourced is one simple step." The research also revealed - ● Over half of Brits still do not seek out locally sourced goods ● And a sixth of them admitted they have never even thought of it ● Whilst a third are under the impression such items are expensive. ● A further 31 per cent feel there are limited options and as a result, 45 per cent of Brits would like to see the big brands sourcing local ingredients to lead the way. Weetabix works exclusively with local farmers to source all of its wheat in WeetabixvOriginal biscuits from within 50-miles of their mills in rural Northamptonshire.

Keywords: Weetabix

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