It's a great temptation to grab a supermarket trolley, dash around the aisles and do all your shopping in one go.

It is a chore that can be done at these one-stop shops, saving valuable time in our hectic lives. Yet, in giving unqualified support to the supermarkets, we are threatening part of the fabric of our society.

The small independent traders are increasingly at risk of going under.

At Christmas, many of us value them and place orders for turkeys, vegetables and other festive fare. But come the New Year, we ditch the personal service they offer and head back to the supermarket, with all the frustration of jostling and queuing.

The truth is that unless we support the independent butchers, grocers and greengrocers, many of them won't be there when we need them next Christmas.