Supermarkets - what price Cheap food?

[beorhthelm]

anyway i think this is all just grist to my long held believe Lamb is the best and most eco friendly meat - imports aside. kept on otherwise unusable land, not fed lots of rubbish, regular non-organically approved Lamb is probably more more organic than certificted chicken, pork and certainly beef.

There is a groundswell beginning to move back towards the small retailer, and we need to support it.

i do think people are interested in supporting the smaller shop, the local producers and manufacturers if available. problem is they try to compete on product qualtiy which to many is not much different or not noticed, or not compete at all just expecting people to use them. if only they tried to compete on service i think they would so much better. while some do go the extra mile, all too often the local shop is perceived as the local shope for local people. that doesn't work in the modern world when i can get something delivered to my door step by Tesco or [any other online brand]. the big brands have understood convienence, small shops might find that difficult to compete with. their advantage should be personal touch and they arent exploiting that.

 

[Blackadder]

I was complaining on here a few years ago that Sainsbury's had a large supermarket and gained permission for a small one literally metres away on the same side of the road of the road in Clapham.

Such is the power of NSC I received a PM from someone claiming to represent them !

We forget how many people read this board. Just out of interest was this rep an Albion fan or just someone who liked surfing message boards?

 

[Blackadder]

My wife and run our own business selling jams, chutneys, sauces etc. We don't use any preservatives, except for sugar, and our 'whole fruit' approach is very popular with people who don't mind paying a little extra than the supermarket because they say they can taste our product. There is a groundswell beginning to move back towards the small retailer, and we need to support it.

We've recently managed to find a retailer to sell our product in Brighton: 'Grocer and Grain' in Surrey Street. So far sales are encouraging and he's already re-ordered. We try to use fruit and veg from farmers and smallholders in the local area as far as possible, as well as local wholesalers, to try to keep the money in the local area. We also trade at Lewes Food Market every Friday morning in the Market Tower, and tomorrow we are at Hove Market in George Street. If you are in the area come and give us a try! We also have a web site: 'mrsyorksjams.co.uk.'

You should have your website address as your signature Zoogull. No harm in a little free advertising. Good luck with your business.

 

[zoogull]

Thanks Blackadder and Clapham. Freezing cold in George Street today, but we did really well! People were very complimentary about the product so we will definitely be back - last Saturday in January! Oh, and you're right about the web address Clapham - Cheers!

 

[nicko31]

I think you (have nearly) hit the nail on the head there. After Hugh F W's last program, I was in a supermarket and people wanted to buy free range but weren't prepared to pay near £7 for a chicken. I say nearly because I think 90% of people affording them is slightly on the high side. A lot of families are on very tight budgets.

Getting back to the program. It looks as if we will not only have 4 "super" supermarkets but we will soon only have a few "super" farms. I'm not making judgement because these are hard times, a lot of people can not afford to make choices. I have never been swayed by organic foods. I haven't been convinced that GM foods are wrong. The face of the High Street is definitely changing. Not convinced for the better but that's consumerism for you.

Interesting point about the "Bribes" that the big 4 pay to get their stores built. Was it really £150 MILLION that one was paying to build a superstore in Gateshead?

I was wondering if that was right but there again I am more than happy to take AMEX's money for Falmer.

Yes perhaps my 90% figure affording free range chicken is a lot high, perhaps 80%. You can you buy one in Lidl for a fiver, gives us a roast on sunday and a risotto on Monday, how can that be unaffordable for most? There is a big difference between free range and standard deep litter, just try breaking a drumstick with you hand and you're realise. Then there's the meat texture and the fat content.

 

[Gwylan]

One of the big changes in the last 100 years is the way in which meat has become a centrepiece of so many meals. Historically, people didn't used to eat meat every single day (unless you were rich), now it's almost standard. What Hugh F-W and others are saying is that people should eat better meat but less often. If people bought two free-range chickens for every three battery ones, there wouldn't be any difference in costs.

 

[JP20]

I thought the programme was very interesting, and found myself agreeing with both sides of the argument throughout the duration.

Some thoughts I had..

The discussion about the size and shapes of apples that can be sold is largely down to a ridiculous EU rule, not really the supermarkets- but of course people would rather have a nice round shiny looking apple, a regular yellow bendy banana, etc etc.

I think too much blame is apportioned to the supermarkets- yes i'm sure they can be quite crippling on some small farmers, the same with any other supplier who couldn't guarantee mass availability and longitivity. The larger suppliers often receive massive investment to grow, and long term contracts to tie them into that particular shop.

One point the programme missed i thought...It isn't just about offering the cheapest food - GM food after all would be supremely cheap, but consumers don't feel comfortable with it so they don't sell it. Its all about providing what consumers want, at a price they want to pay for it.

 

[Gwylan]

The discussion about the size and shapes of apples that can be sold is largely down to a ridiculous EU rule, not really the supermarkets- but of course people would rather have a nice round shiny looking apple, a regular yellow bendy banana, etc etc.

That's not true. EU regulations means that bananas have different classes and there indeed regulations on shape and bendiness on Extra class bananas but other classes can be any shape they like. Here's the relevant legislation.

EUR-Lex - 31994R2257 - EN

Regulations on other fruit and vegetables were dispensed with in 2008
Bent banana and curved cucumber rules dropped by EU - Telegraph

It suits supermarkets to pretend that their pursuit of perfection is an EU regulation but it's not true. However, I'm pleased to see that supermarkets are now allowing for more variety in their fruit and veg and uniformity has started to go out of the window.

 

[Stat Brother]

There is something in how good local food is presented.
When in Dorset, rubbing shoulders with Hugh!, the Bridport butcher and greengrocer that are heavily featured, both specifically label their produce.
An example is:-

Rump Steak
Joe Bloggs Farm
Cow type ...
Cow age ...
Slaughtered at ...
on ...
Price ...

To say I fill my boots would be an understatement.

 

[Don Quixote]

Who can't afford ten quid for a chicken?!