Big Boxes and Brands Stretch the Meaning of "Local."

"Just so you know, buying local means any store in your community: mom-and-pop stores, national chains, big-box stores — you name it."

— Fresno, CA "Buy Local" campaign

Is buying local really that malleable? National brands and retailers would like us to think it is — especially as consumers seek fresher foods, more authentic experiences and a greater sense of community.

In Seattle, Starbucks has experimented with unbranding some of its stores, agribrands are buying up organic brands and then sourcing the product from China, and Hellman's is labeling its mayo "local" because most of the ingredients come from North America.

The New Rules Project has a good article that surveys "local-washing" practices across the country.

"Food is one of the biggest gateways, but we're seeing this idea of 'local' spread across other categories and sectors," said Michelle Barry, senior vice president of the Hartman Group. A report published by Hartman last year noted, "There is a belief that you can only be local if you are a small and authentic brand. This isn't necessarily true; big brands can use the notion of local to their advantage as well." Barry explains: "Big companies have to be much more creative in how they articulate local … It's a different way of thinking about local that is not quite as literal."

Right. I mean, Wal-Mart hires local people and pays local sales taxes. Cargill, that's a nice little local company. And a local distributor delivers your Budweiser. How's that any different from Surly, Summit or Brau Bros.?

Well, it is different. A study conducted by the firm Civic Economics and promoted by Orlando, FL, city officials found that, for every $100 spent locally, $45 stays in the community. But that was true only if the money was spent at a locally owned business. Spend $100 at a chain store, and only $13 stays.

Cities and their economic development agencies are likely to lean toward a broad definition of local, because the big boxes collect sales taxes just like mom & pop do, but

sales tax driven campaigns may well be doing more harm to local economies than good, according to Jeff Milchen, co-founder of the American Independent Business Alliance, a national organization that helps communities start and grow local business alliances [...] "If you encourage people to shop at a big-box store that takes sales away from an independent business, you're just funneling more dollars out of town, because, unlike chains, local businesses buy lots of goods and services, like accounting and printing, from other local businesses."

There's another wrinkle. Big chain stores know that consumers want to support companies they perceive to be acting responsibly, and

tossing around the word "local" is a far less expensive way to convey civic virtue than the alternatives. "Local is one of the lower-hanging fruits in terms of sustainability," explains Barry. "It's easier for companies to do than to improve how their employees are treated or adopt a specific sustainability practice around their carbon footprint, for example."