The Blairgowrie & Rattray Development Trust’s project aims to understand what prevents local residents from choosing to eat locally grown vegetables, despite several community initiatives—such as the BaRI Store, a volunteer-run shop stocking surplus food from supermarkets to help reduce food waste and to increase the use of refill—promoting local, healthy food.

Through a community‑wide survey, the group’s research hopes to explore which vegetables people currently buy and eat and to identify barriers such as limited availability, uncertainty about preparation, or lack of awareness of local options.

The findings will help to inform planting decisions for a new 0.5‑acre growing space, adjacent to the established Rattray Community Garden. By aligning production with community preferences and needs, the project will also support two of the Blairgowrie & Rattray Development Trust’s current initiatives—the BaRI Food Project and Biodiversity Blair, a volunteer group which aims to improve the environment for all species by growing food around Blairgowrie and Rattray— in their shared goal of increasing local food access, reducing waste, and encouraging healthier choices.