Louth is noted for the wide selection of independent retailers, with around 70% of businesses independently owned.
In 2012, it was named 'Britain's Favourite market town' by the BBC's Countryfile.

The town's long retail history is represented by a number of longstanding businesses, including the department store Eve and Ranshaw, whose history can be traced back to 1781, Dales & Sons, poulterers since 1896, and the century-old butchers, Lakings of Louth.

The first building society branch office was opened by the Peterborough Building Society (now Norwich & Peterborough) in 1973.
The town was also the headquarters of the former Louth, Mablethorpe and Sutton Building Society, a local society with several branches and agents in Lincolnshire, which was taken over by the Bradford & Bingley in 1990.

Louth is also known for its specialist grocers, and local butchers, Meridian Meats, have won numerous awards.
It is also home to The Cheese Shop, which has gained nationwide recognition, including in The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, and on The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain.

Louth holds market days on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
There is a farmers' market on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
A cattle market is held each Thursday at the Louth Livestock Centre on Newmarket.

There is a small Morrisons, formerly a Somerfield store, which opened in 1985, and a Co-operative supermarket, which opened in 1989.
The Co-op was given approval for an additional smaller store in 2013.

In 2008, a local pressure group, Keep Louth Special, was formed by residents, shoppers and business owners, to lobby against a proposal for a major supermarket on the former cattle market site.
The group was criticised by a town councillor, the following year, as 'outsiders' who wanted to live in a 'museum town', but a 2012 council report, while recommending a 'large retail development' as ‘necessary’, acknowledged that 'a majority 50 per cent' of surveyed residents opposed it.

An initial 2009 planning application by Sainsbury's for a new 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) store, was rejected by the Council, after appeal, in 2012.

Keep Louth Special described a 2013 proposal for an Aldi store as 'not bad news' because it was intended for an 'eyesore' site, and as Aldi stocks 'own brands and a limited fresh-food offering', it would not be 'going head-to-head' with the town market or independent retailers.

Many national food campaigning organisations are based on Eastgate under the umbrella organisation the Processed Vegetable Growers Association, notably:
The Asparagus Growers Association
The Brassica Growers Association
The British Herb Trade Association
The British Onion Producers Association
The Leek Growers Association
The Radish Growers Association
The Turfgrass Association
Louth is noted for the wide selection of independent retailers, with around 70% of businesses independently owned. In 2012, it was named 'Britain's Favourite market town' by the BBC's Countryfile.
The town's long retail history is represented by a number of longstanding businesses, including the department store Eve and Ranshaw, whose history can be traced back to 1781, Dales & Sons, poulterers since 1896, and the century-old butchers, Lakings of Louth.
The first building society branch office was opened by the Peterborough Building Society (now Norwich & Peterborough) in 1973. The town was also the headquarters of the former Louth, Mablethorpe and Sutton Building Society, a local society with several branches and agents in Lincolnshire, which was taken over by the Bradford & Bingley in 1990.
Louth is also known for its specialist grocers, and local butchers, Meridian Meats, have won numerous awards. It is also home to The Cheese Shop, which has gained nationwide recognition, including in The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, and on The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain.
Louth holds market days on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. There is a farmers' market on the fourth Wednesday of each month. A cattle market is held each Thursday at the Louth Livestock Centre on Newmarket.
There is a small Morrisons, formerly a Somerfield store, which opened in 1985, and a Co-operative supermarket, which opened in 1989. The Co-op was given approval for an additional smaller store in 2013.
In 2008, a local pressure group, Keep Louth Special, was formed by residents, shoppers and business owners, to lobby against a proposal for a major supermarket on the former cattle market site. The group was criticised by a town councillor, the following year, as 'outsiders' who wanted to live in a 'museum town', but a 2012 council report, while recommending a 'large retail development' as ‘necessary’, acknowledged that 'a majority 50 per cent' of surveyed residents opposed it.
An initial 2009 planning application by Sainsbury's for a new 30,000 square feet (2,800 m²) store, was rejected by the Council, after appeal, in 2012.
Keep Louth Special described a 2013 proposal for an Aldi store as 'not bad news' because it was intended for an 'eyesore' site, and as Aldi stocks 'own brands and a limited fresh-food offering', it would not be 'going head-to-head' with the town market or independent retailers.
Many national food campaigning organisations are based on Eastgate under the umbrella organisation the Processed Vegetable Growers Association, notably:
The Asparagus Growers Association
The Brassica Growers Association
The British Herb Trade Association
The British Onion Producers Association
The Leek Growers Association
The Radish Growers Association
The Turfgrass Association
Louth, Lincolnshire