Enough. We're walking away from supermarkets

sams247

For many reasons - health, not liking the ways we are manipulated and tricked by supermarkets, not trusting the food we eat...... etc we have taken the decision to try a year without using a supermarket.

We live urban, close to Windsor, we have supermarket at every corner, we often have two Mr T's in the same area, we can barely walk without tripping over a supermarket. But enough. For us.

We are going to try not to use any of supermarkets, shop local where possible, shop small, shop online from individual providers. This is going to take us a week or two to adjust to.

We are not smallholding fans, we're not even gardeners (live in a flat), we don't have chickens, I dont knit my own clothes and live off the land. I am basically a Wai**so lass, I have loved the convenience of pressing that button, then a guy bringing my order to me. We have long work commitments. So this is not a simple decision, but I believe its the right decision.

A question - money saving is still a focus for us - is it cheating to still use Costco for our cleaning products? Would appreciate your opinions as we are divided on this.

I dont eat generally eat red meat although succumb to the odd bacon or sausage, OH never eats meat at all and no shellfish, DD has strict food rules (self imposed), so organic, healthy, non processed is the order of the day.

Planning now, will start on payday.

Edited to include websites/online places/recommendations, if you mention any I will try to include them here.....

Farmers Market
http://www.windsor.gov.uk/whats-on/w...s-road-p484121
http://www.tvfm.org.uk/market/4/beaconsfield/

Sites
www.bigbarn.co.uk
http://www.gourmetbritain.com
www.shortersclub.co.uk
http://www.sustainweb.org/foodcoops/finder/
http://www.herbtable.com/fresh-cut-c...herbs-11-c.asp
www.clarebarry.co.uk
www.spicesofindia.co.uk
http://www.bonnymans.co.uk/products/...productID=6190
www.yourhealthfoodstore.co.uk
http://www.kentvegbox.co.uk/VEGFRUIT.html
http://www.organicdeliverycompany.co.uk/
http://www.farmaround.co.uk/index.php
http://fossemeadows.com/site/markets/


Sites/Places we have used and recommend
www.laverstokepark.co.uk
http://www.windsorfarmshop.co.uk/page3548/home.aspx
www.cookfood.net
http://localrootswycombe.co.uk/
http://www.pemeadandsons.co.uk/
http://www.abelandcole.co.uk/

Deli/Lunch places I recommend
http://www.seasons-cafe-deli.com/
http://localrootswycombe.co.uk/

More.......

http://thehappybelly.co.uk/shop
http://www.formanandfield.com (dinner party help rather than regular)
http://shop.lochfyne.com/Categories/Salmon/Fresh_Fish
http://www.planetorganic.com/
http://www.thespicychef.co.uk/
http://www.grassfeddexterbeef.co.uk/

HappyMJ

It's not cheating to use Costco or any other shop to buy whatever you need that cannot be purchased from anywhere else.

Edwardia

We went organic in March last year and it was a struggle to find enough organic food to eat in local supermarkets so we ended up using Ocado and Abel & Cole and I'll get my first Riverford order on Friday. Neither Abel & Cole or Riverford does a timed delivery slot though.
https://www.abelandcole.co.uk
https://www.riverford.co.uk

There's a farmers' market in Windsor
http://www.windsor.gov.uk/whats-on/windsor-farmers-market-st-leonards-road-p484121

You'll find places to shop nearby on https://www.bigbarn.co.uk and on https://www.gourmetbritain.com as well.

If you can get to Twickenham, Laverstoke Park Farm has a butcher's shop there https://www.laverstokepark.co.uk

There's also the Windsor Farm Shop although those may be royal prices as well http://www.windsorfarmshop.co.uk/page3548/home.aspx

COOK has a branch in Windsor https://www.cookfood.net and their ready meals although not organic are like home-made.

As for Costco, when I looked on the website myself thinking about this, I couldn't find much organic so it wasn't worth forking out for membership to get stuff delivered or schlepp there. I have used Shorters Club for non-food bulk buy stuff https://www.shortersclub.co.uk

Approved Food has a few organic things sometimes https://www.approvedfood.co.uk

Hope that helps

Lynsey

Good luck, but there needs to be loads of people to boycott to have any affect.
Would love someone with clout to set up a site where we agree to boycott a supermarket for say a month. If say Tesco lost 25% of it's business for a month, it would hurt!!
Come on Martin, get something organised. :money:

Lynsey

sams247

Thank you, helps a lot.

I have tried both Abel & Cole and Riverford but had a few issues with both, but I know of many people who love them. I have also used the Windsor farm shop - its like most places you can pay a lot but if you're careful you can pay a decent price and get a lovely item, I love their pullet eggs, but obviously they are not around a lot. I will look at the other suggestions too, thank you.

Prob will keep Costco as I get it as a work perk, so its seems daft to lose the discount, we only get the household cleaning products and loo rolls from them though as you're right in that they dont stock much by the way of organic

sams247

Lynsey wrote: »

Good luck, but there needs to be loads of people to boycott to have any affect.
Would love someone with clout to set up a site where we agree to boycott a supermarket for say a month. If say Tesco lost 25% of it's business for a month, it would hurt!!
Come on Martin, get something organised. :money:

Lynsey

Well, anyone who wants to do that for a month, we could even start small with a thread going.......

SailorSam

If you're all going to pick on Tesco wait until i've sold my shares.

[Deleted User]

Good Luck, I hate all this supermarket bashing, one seems to get more of a mention than others.... not sure why??? i shop in them all and find them very economical.

whitesatin

I believe we must all do what suits us as our lives, budgets and circumstances are all different. All of these facts apply to me now I am retired. I use them all, from asda, waitrose to Costco so I wouldn't cut my nose off to spite my face. Iike to ring the changes.

zenseeker

sams247 wrote: »

A question - money saving is still a focus for us - is it cheating to still use Costco for our cleaning products? Would appreciate your opinions as we are divided on this.

:rotfl:

If you do then you've already failed. I don't give you a month before you're back in the supermarkets because they are quite simply cheaper and you'll realise this very very quickly.

gailey_2

There was a thread few years back on oldstyle could have been far back as 2007/2008 log one but searching and cant find it. it was about banning supermarkets for a year.

Found it think this was one had in mind

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=369405

Thanks cooltriker chick was fab thread

we tried ourselves doing it one month up nearby high street that had few independants /smaller chains.

we did health shop
butchers
fruit and veg

but we also did pop into co-op at the time.

But sadly we fell back into supermarkets but now use variety smaller retailers not the big 4. we not loyal to anyone anymore.

found this extreme example not doable for many
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1241044/Family-saves-6-000-food-just-year-vowing-avoid-supermarkets.html

interesting blogs

will be watching the 1st one with interest

http://ayearwithoutsupermarkets.com/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/blog/2012/aug/09/cut-grocery-bills-avoiding-supermarkets?commentpage=3

http://www.lovefood.com/journal/opinions/19328/will-supermarkets-suffer-from-horse-meat-scandal

I recent years we used smaller retailers like

farmfoods
lilds
aldis
simply food

used butcher

rarly use green grocer as dont go to areas with one often

I used to love fruit buying at markets but dont have that here.

Have brought lovley produce at carboot sale.

You need a strategy.

I trying to use supermarkets less but will still shop ocado/waitrose-smaller at least of supermakets.

I going to try my besy to find a green grocer
but i often order veg box from locak independant dairy
looking for new buctcher but considering tryinga meat box from one of independant suppliers.
Also on my list is try seek out whats in health food shop
Try do more markets and farm shops.

Local delis can be fab,
Also specialist ethnic supermarkets we have indian chinese here.

We have small veg patch and forgage locally and we live outskirts of city.

Due to weather we had mixed results going to try harder this year.

as you close to lodon they have fab independant food retailers and markets.

I have a freind lives windsor happy to ask her any reccomendations for you.

good luck think everyone should use supermarkets less.

The smaller stores like corner shops are soo expensive.

my independant corner shop is often cheaper than say tesco express.

I think it takes commitment, time and planning to avoid and not overspend.

For me now its about quality not just about price.

Feel ripped off and lied to.