The Rising Cost of Food

3v3

anguk wrote: »

I couldn't care less what shape my fruit and veg are as long as they're edible. I've long since come to the conclusion that the major supermarkets dictate what the majority of people eat, consumers may think they're making the choices but clever marketing and control over farmers has ensured that shoppers only buy what the supermarkets want them to buy.

Supermarkets decided consumers no longer wanted milk with a layer of cream on the top so dairies had to change how they produced milk, supermarkets decided that consumers no longer wanted wonky or dirty fruit and veg so now farmers are chucking tonnes of the stuff away. It wouldn't be as bad if the farmers could sell the supermarket "rejects" but it's normally in their contract that the supermarket is the exclusive buyer so they can't sell. ...

Supermarkets were following EU Regulations, brought in back in the '80's regarding wonky fruit and veg In recent years some of those regulations were relaxed.

sharloid

3v3 wrote: »

Supermarkets were following EU Regulations, brought in back in the '80's regarding wonky fruit and veg In recent years some of those regulations were relaxed.

But how come the rest of Europe seems to have wonky fruit?! Well, it certainly is when you go to the supermarket on holiday!

3v3

sharloid wrote: »

But how come the rest of Europe seems to have wonky fruit?! Well, it certainly is when you go to the supermarket on holiday!

Oh I know! In fact, a few years ago, there was a programme (ITV, I think) on that very subject. The Spanish were particularly amused how stringently the regulations were applied here :rotfl: But, the same goes with Health & Safety regulations (imposed by the EU, slavishly followed by UK and lip service paid by the Europeans )

As I said in my previous post, a number of these regulations (on the food front) have now been relaxed.

3v3

You may find this interesting:

http://www.itv.com/news/articles/wonky-fruit-and-veg-back-on-shelves-833014674.html


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/7300789/MEPs-want-to-bring-wonky-fruit-ban-back.html

adelight

I'm sure people would flock to pick-your-own-leftover-veg days or wonky veg sales at farms. All the farmer has to do is tell a local paper then sit back and take the money while people fill a sack for X amount. I doubt anyone is gonna munch on a raw muddy potato like they might on a fruit PYO!

I haven't even graduated from University yet but i'm considering getting on an allotment waiting list, I'll be nearing retirement before I get one in the [affluent...] part of london i live in.

Confuzzled

3v3 wrote: »

You may find this interesting:

http://www.itv.com/news/articles/wonky-fruit-and-veg-back-on-shelves-833014674.html


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/7300789/MEPs-want-to-bring-wonky-fruit-ban-back.html

i found this response to the second link you supplied interesting, i'm not sure how accurate it is but if it IS accurate then my suspicions about supermarkets actively discouraging us buying wonky fruits due to profit losses was correct, tragically so

'
TristramS
02/25/2010 12:23 PM

In December we highlighted this nonsense by feeding 5000 people in London's Trafalgar Square on curries, smoothies and fresh groceries - all from wonky fruit and veg and other food that otherwise would have been wasted. But it should be noted that the main culprits are not the EU regulations, but the private cosmetic standards imposed by the supermarkets. By law, supermarkets have always been allowed to sell Class-II fruit and veg, but most of them choose not to. Some prefer to sell premium range uniform cosmetically 'perfect' produce for which they can charge a higher profit margin. www.feeding5k.org and https://www.liber-ate,org'

The_Thrilla

notatvstar wrote: »

Basically what's happening now (on a Global scale) is a culmination of several factors. Firstly - there was/still is a significant proportion of the Global population who live beyond their means, generating this 'toxic debt' phenomenon.This toxic debt was generated both at an individual (120% mortgages for the unemployed!) and national (PIGS!) levels. This toxic debt then bleeds through into macro economics as banks etc sell these debts to each other and some banks accumulated these debts. Things snow ball out of control and then there's a 'correction' in the markets. About 4 years ago a mate of mine (who works in the City) warned me not to buy a house as he predicted this was going to happen. Yep - peeps... they all knew. And by ALL - I mean ALL - regardless of political hue...

Secondly - there has been a poor harvest for many crops.

Thirdly - Ongoing political instability in oil producing countries. (Stuff has to be transported - does it not?)

I personally don't think the introduction of the Euro has helped (many reasons) also there are some international trading bodies who artificially keep some prices high (the EU being one of them).

Therefore - Yep food prices are rising. But there are many reasons why they are rising and you can't just blame one thing whether it be a government or one meteorological phenomenon.

For anyone who's using this sad, sorry state of affairs to push an environmental or political agenda I think you need to have a word with yourselves...

I think this poster comes direct from the Hall of the Mountain King.

It is easy.

If the price rise is due to disasters like bad harvests, or any of the watery excuses the BBC can invent, then, at a later date, the price will drop to roughly where it was before.

If the price rise is caused by government inflation, then the price won't come down. Ever.

The USA exports its inflation. The price of oil was going up long before the turmoil in the Middle East. The USA have been inflating their currency beyond belief. Oil is traded in US dollars, and that is a main reason why your gasoline costs more.

As I mentioned in an earlier posting, another symptom of inflation is that the value of the £ goes down against other currencies. I keep track of the £ against currencies I have. Against the Norwegian Krone, last week the £ had lost c. 5.5% in a year. Against the New Zealand dollar, last week the £ lost just under 15% in a year. Recently, the £ has even lost ground to the Philippines piso. I mean, the UK printing presses must be going like billy-o if you are better off holding piso! Must have been the snow. No, it was the Royal Wedding. No, it was an infestation of larder beetles.

It is not a state secret that the UK Government is inflating the currency. They admit it freely, even though they wrap it up in fancy names like "quantitative easing" or "stimulus package."

notatvstar

The_Thrilla wrote: »

I think this poster comes direct from the Hall of the Mountain King.

... Are you call me a troll or a dwarf?

FatVonD

notatvstar wrote: »

Didn't Sainsbury do this line of wonky veg - does it still exist?

I don't know about veggies but I have bought a box of 18 variable-sized eggs from there recently. I've also heard of somebody who buys a veg box from a local farmer (the type where you don't know what you'll get until it arrives) ringing the farmer to ask what one of the vegetables even was as she didn't recognise it and it turned out to be a carrot (just not an orange, carrot-shaped one!) Maybe buying like this from farms who are too small to supply the supermarkets is the way forward.

bonnie_bumpkins

FatVonD wrote: »

I've also heard of somebody who buys a veg box from a local farmer (the type where you don't know what you'll get until it arrives) ringing the farmer to ask what one of the vegetables even was as she didn't recognise it and it turned out to be a carrot (just not an orange, carrot-shaped one!)

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

This has made me laugh for the last 10 minutes!!

When I was in full-time work I used to order these boxes. I gave it up as the price became too expensive and I went back to cheap supermarket stuff. But now I'm thinking of seeing what is on offer round here and maybe signing up again; even if it is a bit pricier at least I would know where it's come from and that it is not going to be binned just because it doesn't look perfect :mad:

And yes I did enjoy not knowing what was coming and then having to find a suitable recipe. I think this is more about me being lazy, and indecisive when shopping though