Today, I saw that Tesco are selling Organic Veg Boxes. Right there, amongst all the other organic veg that they sell and that you can pick out for yourself.
There's so much wrong with this picture, that I don't even know where to start. Give me time, there's a great rant to be had, I promise. But right now I need to sleep.
Also, you have my solemn promise that when I have a just a little bit more time and money, and when the area in which I live catches up a bit on the organic produce front, I will no longer go to Tesco. It makes me feel dirty, and not in a good way.
Wednesday 10 October 2007
Tesco Organic Veg Box
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Not sure what you mean by organic veg boxes...do you mean a mixed box of veg for those too lazy to pick their own? I think it would appeal to me (don't hit me)!!!
OK - Organic Veg boxes 101, here we go.
Here in the UK, there's been a bit of a backlash going on against the aggressive tactics used by the big supermarkets to make and maintain huge profits. Websites such as www.tescopoly.org go into much more detail if you want it. It's not a particularly pretty picture.
At the same time, there's also a trend (particularly amongst mums of small children) for buying more organic produce on the grounds that there is growing evidence that it a) contains more nutrients, b)contains fewer pesticides and other nasty chemicals and c)tastes better.
This creates a gap in the market for the small supplier who is sick of being asked just how they would like to be shafted over their barrel by the supermarkets.
Farm shops and farmers' markets are doing well at the moment, and so are the Organic Box firms. They are indepenent suppliers of home deliveries of mixed organic fruit and vegetables for those of us who like to rebel against the corporate mega-bastards in our own small way. And who are too lazy or incompetent to get out in our gardens and grow our own.
There's loads of these small, local firms around now. We used to use this one - www.abel-cole.co.uk
The USP of these businesses is their 'conscience appeal' - you're making a real difference to a small, local business by buying from them, the packaging is minimal, what there is is either recyclable or compostable, and they take their boxes back each week for reuse or recycling. The food is organic, in season, and never gets here by plane. It's low-carbon-emission consumerism at its finest.
And that's why I nearly choked when I saw similar boxes for sale in Tesco. It just defeats all of the points given above, and many more, I'm sure. It risks the livelihoods of the enterprising folk who started the trend, and before we know it, we'll all be back buying plastic shrink-wrapped cheap tomatoes that don't taste of anything.
I'm in a bit of a minority on this; most folk here can't get enough of the supermarkets and their promotions and innovations, but you need only look at my town's High Street to see the result. It is crap. And I blame Tesco!
I think I see your point. As far as my research goes many organic products sold by supermarkets are a con. Better to support small local suppliers as you say.
Post a Comment