Food, on the whole, is grown or reared on farms. It’s harvested or slaughtered, transported, possibly processed eg combined with other types of food, and often packaged. It’s then transported again — by air, land or sea — to a shop or warehouse, for shoppers to buy.

This set of steps is known as a supply chain, and the number of people involved in the chain varies depending on the type of food, the type of farm, and where the food has come from.

Most UK shoppers buy food from supermarkets. Supermarkets tend to have longer supply chains that involve a large number of people, often across multiple countries. When you buy from a supermarket some of your money will go to the people that made your food, some will go to people involved in the supply chain, and some will go elsewhere eg to people who own shares in the business.

Chances are, if you buy directly from a farm (either in person or online) that food will be part of a shorter supply chain. It’s likely that food that is farmed and sold in the same vicinity will have a lower carbon footprint, and most (or all) of the money you spend will go to people who have been directly involved in making your food.