Australia has moved beyond the annual Australia Day surge in calls to “buy Australian” – particularly lamb – as the green-and-gold “Australian Made, Australian Grown” logo approaches its 40th anniversary.
Launched by then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke in 1986, the logo remains a prominent symbol of support for domestic producers.
Australians are also frequently urged to support local businesses during times of economic hardship. The recent devastating bushfires in Victoria have again underscored the importance of supporting local businesses in need, and many Australians stepped up and delivered.
But new research suggests that while most Australians support buying local, their reasons for doing so vary widely – and not all are willing to pay a premium for the privilege.
The study, based on a nationally representative survey of 924 Australian consumers, examined purchasing preferences across a range of product categories, including fruit and vegetables, meat, alcoholic drinks, clothing, furniture, decorative items, personal accessories and other household goods.
Respondents who indicated they sought to buy locally produced goods were asked why, and whether they were willing to pay more to do so.
Researchers found that the desire to “buy local” cannot be easily categorised along progressive or conservative lines, nor confined to any one demographic group. Overall, most Australians expressed a strong preference for locally made goods. The top three reasons cited were:
Supporting the local economy and jobs was by far the strongest motivation across all product categories.
While responses from men and women were broadly similar, some notable differences appeared in specific categories.
Men were significantly more likely than women to seek out Australian-made alcoholic beverages, describing them as “better quality” and “safer and more trustworthy”.
Women, by contrast, were more likely to select “I like to know where and how it is produced” when purchasing alcoholic drinks, indicating a stronger interest in the product’s origin and production story.
In categories such as clothing and personal accessories, concern for labour conditions and environmental impacts was a stronger driver among women.
The research found income level had little influence on whether people were willing to pay more for locally produced goods. Instead, age and values played a larger role.
Respondents over the age of 45 showed the strongest overall preference for buying local, primarily motivated by supporting the local economy and jobs. However, they were also the least willing to pay more for local products. Ethical or values-based considerations were less prominent for this demographic.
Younger respondents, despite generally having lower incomes, were more likely to cite environmental concerns, labour conditions and workplace ethics as reasons for buying local. They were also more willing to pay a premium for those considerations.
Differences also emerged when political views – particularly attitudes toward immigration – were considered.
Older respondents who expressed a strong desire to support the local economy and jobs were more likely to say immigration numbers were too high and should be tightened.
Younger respondents, who cited environmental and ethical reasons alongside economic support, were more likely to view immigration levels as “about right” or open to being higher.
Market data taken during the COVID-19 pandemic intensified interest in local production and consumption, accelerating a shift towards small-scale and local supply chains that had begun earlier.
Since then, Australian businesses have faced further economic and environmental challenges, including natural disasters, the reintroduction of tariffs by the United States and ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
Researchers say their findings show that the same act of buying local can hold different meanings across demographics and the political spectrum – a dynamic that may be increasingly significant as anti-immigration sentiment becomes more visible in public debate.
Proudly Australian owned and operated