The NFWI believes this issue needs to be urgently addressed as small shops are closing at a rate of fifty per week and many farmers are being forced out of business by the unfair buying practices of the supermarkets.

Fay Mansell, Chair of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes said: “We are deeply concerned about the disappearance of local shops which are often the lifeblood of communities. Many WI members have been directly affected by such closures and have seen their communities suffer as a result.

“Often it is the most vulnerable who are directly affected by the loss of local shops, such as low-income families or older people who may not have accessible transport to get to the out of town supermarkets. For many people, local shops no longer exist in their towns or villages and we must take action now to ensure the future of our communities.”