Tesco reports rise in shoppers buying local produce

In the last 12 months, demand for Scottish food at Tesco stores has increased from £259m to £303m. The retailer said this came on the back of a campaign to promote locally-sourced produce. The supermarket has 154 Scottish producers who supply stores across the country with 1,500 products.

Tesco Scottish local marketing manager Lynne Roxburgh told BBC News: "There is clearly a growing awareness and appreciation for Scottish-made food from shoppers, which presents a great opportunity for new businesses.

"We are very keen to find new businesses here in Scotland and help them promote their products by putting them in front of a wide UK-based audience - and perhaps even further afield."

Tesco's suppliers include WildWaters Salmon, based in Shetland - a local supplier which has grown its business. It began supplying a single store in Lerwick which proved such a success that Tesco has now rolled out the firm's smoked salmon and gravadlax to a total of 63 mainland supermarkets.