The National Farmers’ Union and actionaid have joined forces to place a full-page ad in The Times, calling for a supermarket watchdog. The Competition Commission suggested a watchdog as a remedy to problems identified in its investigation of the UK grocery market, a proposal welcomed by farmers and other supermarket suppliers, but starkly opposed by most large retailers.
We barely notice them but these giant sheds have played a pivotal role in the journey of our food since the major retailers started taking greater control of the food supply chain in the 1970s. Most of the food we eat will have passed through a regional distribution centre (RDC) on its way to our plates. Almost all supermarket food (80% of the food we eat at home), and much sold by independent retailers too, is supplied via RDCs: trucked in from the producers, packhouses and manufacturers; briefly stored (warehouse time and space is money); then trucked out again on the supermarkets’ dedicated fleets.
During the Competition Commission’s lengthy inquiry into the grocery market in 2006 to 2008, the media was b u z z i n g with questions about the supermarkets’ alleged practice of landbanking (holding or controlling land for future development or to impede the entry of competitors to the local market).
It all went rather [...]
Barack Obama supports US union’s campaign for union engagement and better working conditions at Tesco’s US Fresh and Easy stores
Absence
Still from Our Daily Bread – spraying sunflowers
Loyal visitors to the Tracing Paper will have noticed a distinct lack of activity over most of the last year. I’m ashamed that I only just avoided a clear six month hiatus with a (very) brief post about the superb documentary on the modern food industry, Our Daily [...]
The Competition Commission’s provisional findings include real criticism of supermarket practices with suggested remedies that might just tackle some of the problems. But suggested changes to the planning system would be nothing less than a bonanza for the larger retailers and spell disaster for town centres and the small independent operators.
Amazon.com has today announced a new venture: AmazonFresh will be delivering fresh (and frozen and “shelf-stable”) foods, ordered online, to households in Seattle.
The foods available will include “highest-quality fresh fruits and vegetables” and a “leading assortment of natural, organic, and specialty brands”.
Some of the produce is described as “farm-fresh” but there’s no further information on [...]
May has almost passed without a single post to the Tracing Paper. The birth of our second daughter on April 28th has given me plenty to do besides. I’ll resume regular postings to the Tracing Paper once our expanded family finds a settled routine in a few weeks (or months?).
Meanwhile, other bloggers have been celebrating [...]
Check prices now
Check today’s price of milk in Tesco / Asda / Sainsburys / Waitrose – Ocado with mySupermarket.co.uk
The Rising Price of Milk
Two weeks ago, Tesco was widely praised in the media for announcing two initiatives: To increase the price UK dairy farmers receive for milk, while not raising the price of standard milk to [...]
Seasonal food cloud for April (, 513k) – now available to download for easy reference and printing. Ideal for your fridge, noticeboard or back pocket!
Seasonal food can’t be bettered – it’s fresher, tastier, often more local and cheaper.
The supermarkets may have tried their hardest to break our relationship with the seasons, offering every type of [...]
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