The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Rosemary on July 08, 2012, 11:23:36 am
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Three supermarkets have been named and shamed for not paying British dairy farmers a ppl that meets their production costs. They are Morrisons, Asda and (most shockingly IMHO) the Co-operative.
Since we moved to Carnoustie, I've become a regular Co-op shopper but I explained to the manager on Friday that I won't be back until they rectify this. In my basket as I spoke to him, I had Fairtrade bananas - I pointed out to him that Fairtrade has to start at home. He was dead nice but didn't know about the milk thing. I know he can't do anything about it, but I asked him to pass it on.
I'm going to write to the Co-op now.
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I've long gone off shopping at the Co-op (the only local shop). It's not just the milk... They very rarely have anything local (and by that I mean Scottish - not the farmer down the road); in fact, I get more Scottish produce at Lidl's than the local Co-op. And they will insist on pestering their customers with loud "musac". I can't concentrate on shopping (or, indeed, do much else) if I have to listen to that kind of noise.
Managers there don't seem to know much about "managing" anyway - maybe they just don't have the power to do anything but take the most basic decisions (e.g. how loud they should play the music - I know they have to play it!). One example, although it's a few years old: I went to the local shop to buy organic milk, which I knew they stocked. However, they'd run out - again. They said they only had it delivered in small quantities twice a week, and it always simply flew off the shelves. I suggested they'd order more, then (after all, I've grown up in a shop, I know about the principles of supply and demand!). They looked at me as if I'd just landed from Mars; oh no, they couldn't do that... They did offer to keep some for me on a regular basis, but as I didn't actually live very close back then, that wasn't an option.
Anyway, I don't suppose complaining to the Co-op will change anything - but you are right, we should all do it. I actually hope that dairy farmers will make their threat come true and disrupt milk supply during the Olympics. Now that would have an impact.
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i have been protesting against the coop for years! their 'fairtrade' is rubbish, local free range eggs at 160 for 6, milk way too expensive and the lowest ppl paid down here. awful, manipulative marketing.
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We all know that supermarkets don't want to support anyone but their shareholders despite their lies ::)
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The farmers here all blockaded the Co-op car park with tractors when the Co-op were stocking New Zealand lamb in British lamb season, at lower prices of course. In a big sheep producing area like here that got the full support of the customers and I think it was changed.
Horrified that they're not paying a sensible ppl. So many dairy farmers have gone out of business here - now it's hard to find someone still milking. And the difficulty making a profit seems to lead to less-than-ideal welfare issues too.
We've got to learn to pay more for our food. I think someone worked out that whilst the French spend 25% of their income on food, the British spend less than 10%.
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Yes its a disgrace what the dairy farmer gets payed for his milk. Its time they told there buyers where to go and stopped supplying them, But I believe they have signed contracts with these middle men and I don't think the farmers have the gumsion to do anythink much about the situation. I would gladly pay more for my pinta. For heavens sake a bottle of water costs more than milk.
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Time we all stood our ground and let the supermarkets know what we think. If for just one day we all stopped going to them maybe they would start to listen. Do we want our milk, beef, lamb and pork all coming from abroad for thats the way things are going for this country.
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Do we want our milk, beef, lamb and pork all coming from abroad for thats the way things are going for this country.
Even abroad they can't work for nothing - so there's a limit to how far the supermarkets can exploit that!
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Not to mention how vulnerable a country makes itself relying on such basics from somewhere else.
Plus the irresponsibility of causing unnecessary fossil fuel to be used up transporting it here when it could be produced here in the first place.
Never mind milk, now I know where all the wool goes - politicians' heads ::)
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Never mind milk, now I know where all the wool goes - politicians' heads ::)
;D ;D ;D ;D
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Never mind milk, now I know where all the wool goes - politicians' heads ::)
;D ;D ;D ;D
Which explains the low prices fleeces fetch.
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;)
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Done. Ive written to them, posted a link to this and expressed my disgust. I will be making even more of an effort to spread my shopping between the little shops in Bala, the nearest 'town'. I am so dissapointed in them. We have a little Co-op and a little Spar and Ive always favored the Co-op, thinking they had some morals (based on their stance in some issues) Boo.
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https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/6424 (https://submissions.epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/6424)