Norfolk businesses championing other local suppliers are taking their message to parliament this month in a bid to raise awareness of the benefits of buying local.

Producers who have signed up to Buy Local Norfolk, an initiative to promote locally sourced goods and services, which is also supported the Federation of Small Businesses, will be travelling to the Houses of Parliament in a specially branded bus on May 23 where they will organise a 'Norfolk picnic' to showcase the best of Norfolk producers to MPs.

Norfolk businesses taking part include Norfolk Cordials, Big Skies Food Co, Wayland Eggs, Beautiful Bakes, Little Melton Gourmet Yoghurt, Dine with Relish, The Norfolk Honey Company, Healthy Twist and The Happy Lunch Club.

The planned trip comes amid rising signs of the consumer tide swinging in favour of locally goods.

Last week The East of England Co-operative Society found that consumers in East Anglia are increasingly turning their backs on multi-national supermarkets and supporting local, independent stores and businesses.

The shift is a double boost for East Anglian businesses, as many products are locally sourced.

And it comes as supermarket giant Tesco - which has been criticised for edging out local businesses with aggressive expansion - issued its first profit warning in 20 years in January.

Buy Local Norfolk member Sarah Gaches, who set up a Norwich-based children's packed lunch firm The Happy Lunch Club 18 months ago, said: 'There is just so much out there we don't know is available. I do think when I make something I am going to look at Norfolk first.

'I think there is a shift in the way people are shopping. People are becoming more aware of local produce as organisations like Buy Local are building momentum. Certainly in my customers there is a desire to shop local and for me to use produce that is locally sourced.'

She said that in her experience it was not so much price as convenience which made people go to supermarkets.

'Everything is under one roof. You can do the one shop and as a mother that is much easier to do. I am aware that every penny counts and for me to buy ham locally it is much cheaper and I get my bread locally. If you are prepared to put a bit of effort in it is cheaper.'

Clarke Willis, chief executive of buying group Anglia Farmers said: 'Unfortunately we are so used to food all the year around that we have lost the sense of seasons. To me Buy Local is also about recognising the seasons. Some things are all the year around, but is it right to fly asparagus half the way around the world from Kenya or Peru?

He said now was the right time to buy Norfolk asparagus with fresh egg. He also said that flowers were flown in when there were 'superb' tulip growers in King's Lynn. And Silver Spoon sugar is made at Cantley and Wissington while Tate and Lyle sugar is imported.

'It's about knowing where things come from and this is not just about small artisan producers, it is about big producers as well. There are an awful lots of McCains frozen potatoes and peas produced in this region.'

The EDP supports and champions the county's growers and makers through the annual month-long Norfolk Food and Drink Festival which takes place each September.

Last October a delegation from the festival, which included more than a dozen local producers including the English Whisky Company and Bray's Cottage Pork Pies, visited parliament to help raise the profile of Norfolk food and drink. The event was packed out with MPs, peers and their aides, all keen to sample the many tasters.