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Krefeld (dpa / lnw) - Upswing instead of crisis: According to the dairy industry, the farm shops and direct sales outlets are becoming more and more popular with consumers.

Even before the Corona crisis, the trend towards regional products, the shopping experience on the farm and the vending machines accessible around the clock, for example at the so-called milk filling stations, said a spokesman for the regional association of the dairy industry.

The outbreak of the pandemic reinforces the trend.

Some customers are also looking for an alternative to more frequented supermarkets when purchasing agricultural products.

According to GfK market researchers, the farm shops have gained disproportionately.

"Of all the retailers, they have by far the strongest growth rate," said GfK expert Robert Kecskes of the German press agency.

In the period from January to November 2020, the nationwide growth in sales in the farmer / producer sector, which is mainly borne by the farm shops, was a good 29 percent.

According to a rough overview, there are around 70 milk filling stations in North Rhine-Westphalia where fresh milk can be bought from a machine.

Right next to it, according to the regional dairy industry association, other agricultural products such as eggs, sausage and cheese are increasingly being offered in vending machines.

The offer is an additional source of income for the dairy farmers.

The regional association estimates that the share of direct sales of milk and dairy products on site makes up far less than five percent of the total milk volume in North Rhine-Westphalia.

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"According to a survey by the NRW Environment Ministry, 75 percent of people in North Rhine-Westphalia want more regional offers," said the President of the State Office for Nature, Environment and Consumer Protection, Thomas Delschen, in a message from the dairy industry for the International Green Week, which in this year takes place digitally until this Thursday.

Regionally produced products are characterized by short distances to the consumer and a high level of trust in their production.