At Pure Body Fix®, we know wellbeing isn’t just what you eat, it’s the journey food takes to reach your plate. Wellness includes workouts, mindset and nutrition, but also the choices that ripple through global food systems. One of the most overlooked drivers of sustainable nutrition is food miles – the distance food travels from where it’s grown to where it’s consumed – farm to fork. And only 58% of food is produced in the UK[i]
In the UK, the average food item travels over 1,500 miles before it reaches your fork[ii]. Those miles carry hidden costs: carbon emissions, water footprints, packaging waste, nutrient loss and pressures on local farmers. Let’s explore how food miles shape both your health and the planet’s resilience.
Out of Season, Out of Balance
Finding asparagus in January or strawberries in December may feel like abundance, but they’re usually imports from Spain, Kenya or Peru. Flying fresh produce can emit 10–50 times more CO₂ than shipping, making those “luxury” choices surprisingly heavy on the climate[iii]. A UK grown apple in autumn has a fraction of the footprint compared to an air-freighted mango.
Feel: Seasonal eating reconnects us with nature’s rhythms and reminds us that food has its own seasons of joy.
Exporting Virtual Water
Every avocado from Mexico or orange from South Africa carries an invisible cost: water. This concept, called virtual water, means we’re importing not just food but also the resources needed to grow it. Some of these regions already face water scarcity, so the UK’s demand puts pressure on fragile ecosystems[iv].
Do: When you buy locally grown produce, you reduce the UK’s imported water footprint and help safeguard vulnerable regions worldwide.
The Hidden Cost to the Local Economy
Choosing imported food often sidelines UK farmers, who find it difficult to compete with industrial-scale overseas production. Supporting local growers keeps money in the community, strengthens food security and helps protect small farms from being squeezed out[v].
Experience: Wander through a farmers’ market or pick up a veg box. Notice how much fresher the produce feels, how the money goes to people you can meet face-to-face, and how the story of your food becomes part of your wellbeing culture.
Nutrients Don’t Travel Well
Nutrients, particularly vitamin C and antioxidants, degrade quickly after harvest. A spinach bag shipped halfway across the world might have lost half its vitamin C before you open it. In contrast, local produce often reaches your plate within 48 hours, locking in flavour and nourishment[vi]. This applies equally to organic food as much as non-organic.
Feel: Think of each bite of fresh, local food as a direct boost to your energy, immunity and vitality.
The Packaging Problem
Imported food often requires heavy-duty packaging to survive long journeys: shrink-wrapped cucumbers, grapes on polystyrene trays, salad leaves in plastic bags. UK supermarkets use tonnes of single-use plastic this way[vii]. Many local growers cut packaging entirely or use compostable alternatives.
Do: Choose produce where you can skip unnecessary packaging. It lowers your environmental footprint and often makes your kitchen feel lighter and freer too.
Experience: Loose fresh produce lasts longer at home and doesn’t go mouldy as quickly as packaged.
Higher Costs for You and the Planet
That “cheap” imported fruit rarely includes the true price of its journey: emissions, water stress, biodiversity loss, economic strain on UK farms. Research suggests reducing food miles could lower supply chain costs by up to 20%, while also protecting us from global shocks in trade and transport.
Experience: When you reach for local produce, you’re not just saving pennies, you’re investing in a food system that supports resilience, community and health for the long term.
Pure Body Fix® Tips for Reducing Food Miles
- Eat seasonally: Strawberries in June, apples in autumn, root veg in winter
- Support local producers: Farm shops, veg box schemes, farmers’ markets, greengrocers
- Read the label: Check for UK-grown or closer-to-home sources
- Embrace “ugly” veg: Freshness beats looks every time
- Grow your own: Herbs, tomatoes can bring abundance to windowsills and gardens. And if you’re a little more adventurous, try growing runner beans through the summer months.
UK Seasonal Produce Chart
| What to eat and when — fresher, tastier, and with fewer food miles | ||
| Month | Fruit | Vegetables |
| January | Apples (stored), Pears (stored | Leeks, Parsnips, Swede, Kale, Cabbage, Sprouts |
| February | Rhubarb (forced) | Cauliflower, Celeriac, Purple Sprouting Broccoli |
| March | Rhubarb | Spinach, Spring Greens, Parsnips, Leeks |
| April | Rhubarb | Spring Onions, Radishes, Asparagus (late) |
| May | Gooseberries, Early Strawberries | Asparagus, Lettuce, New Potatoes, Peas |
| June | Strawberries, Cherries, Raspberries | Broad Beans, Courgettes, Spinach, Beetroot |
| July | Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Plums | Carrots, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Runner Beans |
| August | Apples (early), Blackberries, Damsons | Broccoli, Courgettes, Peppers, Potatoes |
| September | Apples, Pears, Figs, Grapes | Squash, Pumpkin, Kale, Turnips |
| October | Apples, Pears, Sloes | Cabbage, Celeriac, Swede, Parsnip |
| November | Quince, Apples (stored) | Brussels Sprouts, Leeks, Parsnip, Kale |
| December | Apples (stored), Pears (stored) | Red Cabbage, Sprouts, Jerusalem Artichokes |
Tips to get the best out of seasonal fruit and vegetables:
- Plan meals around these items
- Shop at farmers’ markets or use local box schemes
- Freeze summer produce for winter smoothies
- Use in tandem with recipes that rotate with the seasons
- Frozen “out of season” fruit and vegetables can be nutritionally better than “high food miles” fresh produce.
Final Thought
Every food choice sends ripples through the supply chain. By paying attention to food miles, you nourish your body while also protecting water, climate, communities and future resilience.
So, next time you pick up asparagus from Peru in February, pause and ask: what is the story of my food’s journey? was it kind to the planet? am I buying the nutrional value that I thought was in it?
References
[i] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/food-statistics-pocketbook/food-statistics-in-your-pocket, – DEFRA. (2025). Food Statistics in Your Pocket.
[ii] https://www.cambslearntogether.co.uk/asset-library/EYC/Sustainability-Resource-Food-Miles.pdf
[iii] https://www.wwf.org.uk/what-we-do/uk-global-footprint. – WWF UK. (2021). Thriving within our planetary means: Reducing the UK’s global footprint.
[iv] https://www.waterfootprint.org/resources/Mekonnen-Hoekstra-2011-WaterFootprintCrops.pdf. – Mekonnen, M. M., & Hoekstra, A. Y. (2011). The green, blue and grey water footprint of crops and derived crop products. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. https://www.waterfootprint.org/resources/Mekonnen-Hoekstra-2011-WaterFootprintCrops.pdf
[v] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024/united-kingdom-food-security-report-2024-theme-3-food-supply-chain-resilience, – Sustain UK. (2022). Agricultural Supply Chain Pressures.
[vi] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11033113/. – Budiarto R, Mubarok S, Sholikin MM, Sari DN, Khalisha A, Sari SL, Rahmat BPN, Ujilestari T, Adli DN. Vitamin C variation in citrus in response to genotypes, storage temperatures, and storage times: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon. 2024 Apr 10;10(8):e29125. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29125. PMID: 38644865; PMCID: PMC11033113.
[vii] https://earth.org/sustainable-food-packaging/. – We Need Sustainable Food Packaging Now.
