ONLY one in ten consumers in the region would prefer to buy their food and drink from major supermarkets, research has revealed.

The survey by Oxfam found that while 88 per cent of people in the North-East used supermarkets, more than half would prefer to buy from farmers, more than half would prefer to use independent retailers and nearly half would prefer to grow their own food.

Oxfam said the reluctance to shop at supermarkets was fuelled by concerns that not enough was being done to tackle ethical and environmental issues.

The biggest factor considered by consumers when buying food was whether the product came in an excessive amount of packaging. That was followed by how much it cost, concerns about whether the product was fairly traded and whether it was air-freighted a long distance.

Lucy Glynn, Oxfam campaigns officer for Yorkshire and the North-East, said: "Some supermarkets have made excellent progress to date. The Co-Op's commitment to Fairtrade has been outstanding for many years, while the decision by Sainsbury's and Waitrose to stock only Fairtrade bananas will have enormous benefits in the Windward Isles.

"Marks and Spencer, meanwhile, continues to lead the way in terms of making a wider range of Fairtrade products available on the high street."