At some local markets, there are vendors who sell products they do not raise, grow, produce, make, bake or create themselves. These vendors are called “resellers” as they are reselling products made by someone else or made somewhere else.
Resellers can be vendors at approved Alberta farmers’ markets, and many markets allow resellers to be a part of the market.
How can resellers be harmful to farmers’ markets and the experience market shoppers have?
Deception
Sometimes resellers may not actively share with farmers’ market shoppers that someone else made the products they sell. Without clear information, shoppers may not know who they are buying from and where the product was actually made or produced.
Your money doesn’t support your local economy.
When you buy from farmers, producers and artists that made their grew, produced or made their products, your money stays in our community and area. You are supporting our agriculture and food industry and our local economy. If a reseller sells products made by others or made in another country, your hard earned money goes to them, not to locally run businesses.
Unfair competition
When genuine farmers, food producers, artists and craftsman who are a part of our community and economy have to compete with resellers who sell products made elsewhere, often times outside of Canada, it can be unfair competition. Sometimes resellers sell at discounted prices because they are selling products made by a multinational or international company.
Lack of transparency
Consumers may think they are buying from local farmers, producers and artists simply because they are shopping their local farmers’ market. It is fair for consumers to assume they are supporting local businesses when they shop at a farmers’ market. With reseller vendors at markets, it is possible consumers may be supporting businesses from elsewhere, even outside of Canada.
The new verified vendor program by AFMA gives farmers’ market shoppers a 100% guarantee they are buying from genuine farmers, food producers and artists. Learn more about the verified program.