Shoppers are turning their backs on the multiples and their aggressive pricing strategies and making more trips to their local independent stores, new research has found.

A study by market research company Opinium Research LLP revealed that just under 50% of shoppers believed that supermarkets' competitive price-cutting and bogofs were a bad influence in the recession, because they encouraged them to buy goods that they did not need.

The research also found that 24% of people were now shopping at their local butcher, fishmonger and greengrocer in a bid to save money.

Ready meals have also dropped in popularity, with 28% of people claiming to have started cooking from scratch, and 19% saying they now brought their own lunch to work.

Opinium Research director Mark Hodson said: "It is interesting to see that while supermarkets think they are helping customers, a significant number think price wars have a detrimental effect on consumers and food producers. This could be one of the main reasons why people are increasingly turning to local shops."

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