Quito, September 19 (RHC-teleSUR) -- The shelves of Ecuador's supermarkets are being democratized through new regulations, which promote products from domestic producers. 

Beatriz Bordillo and her husband work out of their home workshop assembling bouquets for weddings, funerals and other occasions. Now, more than ever, Bordillo says she feels like there is a space for her bouquets in the largest supermarket chains of the country thanks to a new law that currently requires that six percent of total merchandise be from small and medium-scale producers.

Bordillo told teleSUR English that supermarkets are now her biggest clients. Through the government's new law, supermarket chains across the country are now required to dedicate 15 percent of each shelf level to local products.

A cultural shift is underway in Ecuador, so that consumers trust buying Ecuadorean products. Production fairs put on by the government allow citizens to learn more about products of medium and small scale producers, so that when they go to the supermarket they recognize the products, and want to buy local.

The market regulators require that all national products have special packaging so that they are visible in supermarkets.  The goal is that one third of all items in the nation's largest supermarket chains will be of small and medium scale producers by 2017.