A CAMPAIGN to boost Somerset's £500 million food and drinks industry still further could reach up to one in six people in the UK.

A voucher booklet is being circulated to up to 10 million people across the country in a bid to drive the county's status as a destination for food tourism.

The Buy Somerset initiative, led by Visit Somerset, is offering customers substantial discounts on a range of local products ranging from beer to cider and tea and coffee to cheese.

The month-long campaign, launched today (Wednesday, November 9), is being supported by Tesco and West Somerset-based Miles Tea and Coffee.

It will offer in-store tastings and local supplier trips to Tesco, with the voucher booklet being circulated in print and through Visit Somerset’s website, online and Visit Somerset social media channels.

It follows the success of last year from a major Somerset event organised by Miles Tea and Coffee which boosted its sales by 20 per cent.

Buy Somerset is part of a longer-term strategy to encourage customers across the county to spend more on local brands.

As well as bolstering the county’s status as a major South West food destination, it also aims to grow the local leisure and tourism industry, which is already worth around £1.3 billion.

Visit Somerset chief executive John Turner said: "This is a very exciting time for Somerset, and for us, Visit Somerset, is now the county’s number one inward investment brand.

"We’re proud to have an identity, which is increasingly converging around the marketing of strong credentials in tourism, food and drink, and only see opportunities for the future as the Visit Somerset brand grows.

Somerset County Gazette:

John Turner.

"By encouraging locals and tourists to buy just five per cent more of our local products we’d inject an additional £25 million into the regional economy, offering the prospect of more jobs and a Somerset brand which celebrates affordable and locally sourced food.

"This all is helping as we look to support local provenance and regional suppliers."

Jo Hobbs, of Miles Tea and Coffee, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Visit Somerset and Tesco to promote the truly impressive range of suppliers that are right on people’s doorsteps.

“The Buy Somerset project is aimed at bringing Somerset food suppliers together to help raise their profile and encourage shoppers to support their local businesses by buying locally produced food within their local Tesco.” Tesco regional commercial manager John Weed said: “We’re really passionate about sourcing produce locally, and giving our customers the opportunity to taste some of the great products which are made right here in Somerset."