AS retailers strive to reduce the distance their products travel from source to shelf (food miles), one leading high street supermarket is also attempting to reduce the distance shoppers drive for groceries.

The newest chapter of Somerfield's landmark report, Local Life, reveals that the average shopper with a car travels a needless 2.4 miles each week to buy basics such as milk and bread. Termed shopping miles, these superfluous journeys emit 972.3 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide each year ? the equivalent of over a half a million transatlantic flights.

Within the UK, 67 per cent of shoppers have a grocer within walking distance of their home, yet the population drives an unnecessary 2.94 billion shopping miles each year.

Encouraging Brits to utilise more local resources and greener modes of transport, the report advises that shopping miles could be substantially reduced if Brits shopped smarter. Top-up shopping, where shoppers take several smaller trips to more local stores, could reduce emissions by up to half, as 50 per cent of Brits pass a convenient grocer or supermarket in their daily routine.

While Somerfield is the first retailer to highlight the issue of shopping miles, food miles have been a cause of public concern for many years. Despite growing disquiet, the report finds that 34 per cent of Brits still have no concept of what food miles are, while one in 14 simply does not care.

In fact, one in 10 believes that current discussions over the environment are all hype, claiming the problem "is not that bad". People in the South are a little more clued up though.

Apparently we're the least likely to travel unnecessary shopping miles and over half of us walk to the supermarket to do our weekly shop.

Pete Williams, head of press and PR at Somerfield, said: "We are constantly looking at ways to reduce the distance from "farm to fork"

and shrink our carbon footprint. However, to reach our goals, we really need our customers to contribute. Be it leaving the car at home from time to time or remembering to bring back their plastic carrier bags, even the most occasional of shoppers can make a positive difference."