Are supermarkets evil?

[Shirley]

Andy

Actually I'm thinking of doing it as a community venture - thus I won't make millions but then I don't really want to - but rather it will be a community owned business that will make a difference to a lot of lives. I need to look into the funding side of things.

I guess the Council might be someone to approach - or the Business Development people. There are rural initiatives too and there is always the lottery. I've got a few sites bookmarked that might help.

I might actually get some info from the local chamber of commerce? Worth a try anyway - there will likely be some support from them.

[LSP]

Shirlz, there are lots of funding opportunities. The local chamber of commerce is a good place to start.

Look into http://www.businesslink.gov.uk

http://www.cicregulator.gov.uk/

Go for it!

best,

[Shirley]

Thanks for those links

I'll have a look this evening once J is in bed :)

[The Chili Monster]

Hi all
there's loads of funding out there - I am in the process of setting up my own business (shh! don't tell the boss!) and, thanks to those jolly europeans in Brussels, I am in receipt of free business courses and access to fund training via my local enterprise agency.
there's loads of support at the moment for so-called social enterprises, ie business that provides a service for the community and looks to make a surplus (not profit)!

[LSP]

We've strayed a bit on this thread, but for a good cause.

Was alerted to this article today. What do you think?

http://www.actionaid.org.uk/1580/press_release.html

[elfcurry]

Actually I'm thinking of doing it as a community venture - thus I won't make millions but then I don't really want to - but rather it will be a community owned business that will make a difference to a lot of lives.

This is how the original cooperative movement started: ordinary people getting together to avoid the exploitation of the poor by the rich!

Rise up!

I don't go to T***o much but three visits in two days. Today I bought a couple of computer mice (hmm, I wonder if I could breed them?) which were so amazingly cheap at £2.47 that I worry now about where they're produced by whom and what environmental impact and milage they've travelled (mouse-miles?).

Perhaps I should have sought out traditionally made local mice from Dorset craftspeople.

[ina]

Perhaps I should have sought out traditionally made local mice from Dorset craftspeople.

Made from locally grown timber, squeaking in the local dialect?

Ah no, in the true spirit of self sufficiency, you should have gone out there in the field and caught your own...

What really annoys me is the fact that I get fruit almost exclusively from supermarkets. Ok, in summer I sometimes get (hopefully local-ish) apples at the market; about once a month I buy at a shop that sells mostly European fruit; but the local shops generally have just one kind of apple (South African, USA, Chile...). If I want organic bananas, I have to go to the supermarket anyway. Most supermarkets can come up with at least one kind of British apple or pear.

I'm looking forward to strawberry time - now they are very local, there are several farms in the area!

[Chickenlady]

I have an ambivalent relationship with the supermarkets. I use them because they are convenient but I hate their ethos. I cannot step out of my front door and buy all my food from shops locally because there aren't that many here now and it would take me ages. I use Asda and buy British whenever I can, or Fair Trade, buy their free range chicken and eggs, recycled loo roll, etc. I tried using my local Co-op, but spent loads more on the same stuff, and their fruit and veg was awful. I don't have a big enough budget to do this, and there are lots of people in my position.

Sadly, I think they are here to stay. I think the thing to do is for customers and governments to apply pressure to make sure they trade ethically. I know many people think that if you boycott them they will get the message, but there are so few people doing this they don't give a damn!

If government did not allow cruelty to animals in the production of meat, eggs and milk that would be a start. If they insisted the paper companies only used recycled paper in the production of loo and kitchen roll rather than virgin paper that would help. If they had some kind of watchdog to check that they weren't exploiting developing countries and their workers to produce cheap goods that would be good. There is loads they could do! I do think that in the end things will only change with legislation.

I don't think it is going to happen any time soon though...I do hope the Green Party got lots of votes in the local elections today!

(I just read this again and realise I sound a terrible pessimist and defeatist. Must try harder!!)

[Rohen]

80% of our food comes through the supermarkets the big five of them

We are screwed if their deliveries daily by truck and diesel screw up


Allotments are the way forward

Evil no Monopolising yes

[Ermintrude]

I know this make me sound really middle class but I get my shopping delivered by Waitrose (dahhling!). I have my reasons however, firstly Waitrose and M & S were found to be the most ethical supermarkets by an independent poll (sorry can't think of the name of the poll), they deliver all of my dry goods, olive oil, loo roll etc roughly every three weeks, so I suppose I'm bulk buying. Secondly, I don't own a car so delivery really works for me, and I suppose it's greener as other people are having their shopping delivered too. Thirdly, they have a really good range of fair trade and organic produce.

I am really lucky as I have a great farm shop literally at the end of my road. It sells veg as well as locally and ethically farmed meat and veg. I also make my own bread so a weekly shop isn't necessary for me.

One thing I have considered is buying all of my dry goods from a company called Suma, but they have a £250 minimum purchase. They are an organic co-operative that supply health food stores etc, but at the moment I can't afford the initial outlay.

In answer to Andy's question. No not evil, they offer a service and one which many people survive by. However, I don't think they are places where you cansume mindlessly. Bottom line is people need to use Supermarkets in an informed way - that way they can change their policies when people stop buying unethical rubbish. What they listen to is the sound of cold, hard, cash hitting the register!

[The Chili Monster]

No, Ermintrude, I don't think you're being middle class at all. What counts the most is that you are trying to make a difference ... like you, I don't drive. Sometimes I rely on deliveries. I don't expect we'll ever get it completely right ... but we'll all have a good go. There's no farm shop near me but I can get fresh eggs and fish (befriend a fisherman and all that).

[Ermintrude]

Thanks Chili Monster!

My main concern at the moment is clothes shopping. It's not too bad for myself as I buy ethical stuff when I can and some second hand - but ethical clothing for kids is really pricey. I keep thinking about that Simpson's joke about sweatshop labour "made by children, for children" so I'm making them clothes if I can and buying good quality jeans a size too big so they last (a tip from my Mum!). What do other people do?

[Goldfang]

Have been reading these postings with some interest, at the end of the day, I think the use of supermarkets is a question of balance, pragmatic even! If you shop in a supermarket try to buy British/ locally produced stuff, we steer clear of anything flown in. I feel that if we all did this then perhaps we could bring about change eventually. A lot of people have said about using farmers markets. I wonder if I am alone in being somewhat disappointed in my local farmers market? Our local one seems to consist of tired, iffy looking veg and horribly overpriced organic? apple juice.
Regards, Goldfang.


Every day the list of things that get my goat just gets longer and longer.

[ina]

Farmers' markets vary vastly in range and quality - since nothing is really local here, and they all only happen once a month, I have to shop around a bit, too. And I agree with you on the use of supermarkets; still, I'd rather I didn't have to go to them at all! Last time I went to get fruit and veg, the b*** music (= noise pollution) drove me mad again. That kind of "environment enrichment" makes sure I only buy what I desperately need and get out as quick as I can!

[Boots]

Well... I think since you all sent us here to toil this soil and search for your gold, and we have been sending you food since we got here on boats that took 6 months to get home...

...that surely today's airshipped food can't be any worse than what your Grandparents got back then on their ration slips?

Surely?

The only fruit my Gran knew as a kid in the UK was apples and blackberries, and if they were lucky someone might give them an apple for something special like Christmas.

If you didn't have supermarkets or bulk buying franchises and could only shop at local markets, would you actually have fruit there? Do the things you want actually grow where you are?

Just wondering... because someone mentioned citrus didn't...