The founder of the ethical Duck Pond Markets has urged consumers to spend a proportion of their money in local businesses and embrace the future of sustainable shopping.

Caron Pook launched the markets in 2008 to offer sustainable, ethical, local shopping to consumers. They are situated across six different London sites, including Ruislip, Chiswick and Richmond.

Classed as essential shopping, market traders were permitted to stay open during parts of lockdown which Pook believed was incredibly important.

She said: "We did absolutely brilliantly when we were open with essential stalls only - in Richmond particularly, we were so busy.

"However, as soon as the high street reopened, it dropped off a cliff."

Despite many people benefitting from the markets being open, some people were not convinced it was essential.

Pook said: "It felt that some people felt we were less essential than supermarkets and I think that speaks a lot about how the general public shop - that we are not as valid even though the markets were outside and much safer."

The Duck Pond Markets founder believes the future lies with sustainable shopping and wants to make it more accessible, so that there is little difference between shopping from small businesses and large, online corporations.

She said: "I think with the environmental disaster that we are careering towards at the moment we have to [shop sustainably].

"We can't continue to consume at the rate we have been consuming. We can't continue to have our entire economy based on growth growth growth. It's not sustainable."

She thinks that the wealth of options now makes it easy to spend a proportion of your money locally, so it stays in the economy.

Market stallers have to go through a rigorous process to prove that they tick all the boxes to be sustainable, whether it be through organically sourced food, ethically made clothing or environmentally-friendly packaging.

Andreas Isfort, 54, has been working at the Heron Square Richmond site for five years and said: "Duck Pond Markets was a lifeline for a lot of people during the pandemic.

"Everyone has their own story and it was booming during the lockdown when it was allowed to stay open."

Isfort also spoke about the sense of community that the market brings. He said: "It helps not being isolated and being able to communicate and create a relationship with customers".

Andreas lives and works alone and said: "You can't do that at home, you don't speak to people.

"It's not only to make money but also to speak to fellow colleagues and get inspiration."

Market manager Alicia Verman, 47, has been working for Duck Pond Markets for three years and currently works at the Richmond location.

She spoke about the high demand to purchase items not covered in plastic. Their aim is to offer people a place where they can find this and more importantly "make the world a better place".

Philomena Shiels, 54, opened her 'Frankly Irresistible' stall in 2019 which sells natural and alternative health products including Frankincense tonic water.

She too valued being able to stay open as an essential worker but believes the reopening of shops has had a devastating impact.

Shiels said: "Since the shops have opened, people have tended to forget about the small businesses and gone back to the high streets.

"But people are a little bit more aware of how important their health is and how they need to protect themselves and I am very fortunate to get a lot of attention from people passing by and taking the tonic home with them."