The myth of Consumer's choice.

[sunflower]

Tonight on TV I was pleased to see the subject of intensive chicken farming being aired again. However, I became really cross when a Tesco's spokesman stated that, their latest enterprise ..the £1.99p chicken was the result of Consumer's choice! This is a cover up for their own greed. Otherwise, what is the point of advertising? It is a researched known fact that people can be persuaded to buy goods as a result of effective advertising. So it is not just Consumer's choice in isolation. You would think that, the supermarkets would be falling over themselves to be the 'First' in changing people's minds towards organic produce and kind farming. With effective advertising they could mass in profits by producing healthy food from healthy animals. So, both the customers and the supermarkets, and especially the farmers would be better off.

[sunflower]

I tried to edit my thread but it did'nt happen! As I felt I was'nt explaining myself fully.
What I mean is, the supermarkets, through effective advertising have the power to persuade people to buy more expensive healthily reared chickens. Also, true consumer choice is, when there are a variety of products on the shelf, such as free range and organic chicken, AND enough of these products to give choice to many customers not just 3 or 4. They know that, if these are not availiable, people which just buy what IS on the shelf. It is so dishonest..and then to have the cheek to call it consumer's choice makes me angry. As I said, they could pull in a hefty profit..if they wanted to, with everyone being the winner. The truth is, they just do'nt want to because they do'nt care.

[eleanor2]

i think consumers do buy loads of cheap chickens.i must admit i do without chicken more than i used to ,because i only like the corn fed or organic chicken and they are so expensive.i can see people being tempted to buy the cheap chickens if they arn't aware of the way they are reared.as you say sunflower if tesco had a proper conscience they would not provide these intensly farmed chickens.i for one wont touch them because the chances are they have traces of antibiotics and or growth hormones .they are probably pumped up with water.when you have seen the conditions they are grown in it just puts you off.but when the average shopper sees a juicy looking chicken for £1.99 they just put it in their basket and dont give it another thought.

[jazzactivist]

I agree with you, sunflower, that the idea of "consumer choice" is a cover up, as consumers have to buy what is available. I don't know how anyone can buy a £1.99 chicken, as by now everyone must know that in order the be able to buy it so cheap lots of corners have been cut in the health and welfare of that chicken, so it is likely to taste horrible and have little nutritional value. It's like feeding your family rubbish! The other psychological myth that this type of cheap food perpetuates by there being so much of it in comparison wih other choices is that this is the true price of food, and all other options are much more expensive. The free range and organic chicken is the normal price that we should expect to pay, and the cheap ones are artificially cheap. I think that you are right, Eleanor2, that the best way to move ahead and away from intensively reared meat is to not eat it as often, or to not make meat the main part of a dish, but in the UK this would mean a huge change to tradition.

[franbee]

Something else about consumer choice which has puzzled us for years. When we finally get to the supermarket for toilet rolls and washing powder, in the evening when it is quieter, the only bread that is left is white sliced, which we don't buy. If that is the only bread left, does it not imply that more people would buy say wholemeal if it were available?

[SheepyJames]

Am I the only one who has worked out that 2 chickens for £5 aren't such good value as 1 for £5? All you're paying for is bones - there's certainly not enough meat on them to feed a family. I bought a free range chicken from our local farm shop last weekend. It cost £9, tasted fantastic and has given us two days of roast dinners and lunchtime sandwiches with still enough left over for us and the dog tomorrow!

Consumer choice is a myth. I went into Asda recently and couldn't find ANY free range chickens at all!! Increasingly I only buy household goods at the supermarket. Meat and veg I try to buy locally at our farm shops or markets. I would rather have less meat and eat quality. We all eat too much, anyway, don't we?

[lily]

Tesco is cynical in it's exploitation of it's customers. By expanding into many non food areas they are slowly but surely forcing smaller suppliers out of business. We will wake up one day to find there is no longer any choice- Tesco have literally cornered the market. As for the chickens, this is two fingers to Whittingstall etc. My local Morrisons stocks well reared hens, including those by "The Black Farmer", here in Devon . His web site is worth a look.

[jazzactivist]

I once read about an organic / free range /local and wholefood supermarket in the UK, but can't remember where it is? Apparently, it was a UK pilot for an alternative American chain of supermarkets. What do people think about this idea - is it a genuine alternative for small producers, or just another attempt to put small independent shops out of business?

[Oola]

I think the problem would be the food miles - you may be getting free range but they could still be flying things like beef in from Argentina. People need to feel that they are getting good quality food from their local outlets. Around here our farm shops tend to be small and pokey, and not open long enough for commuters etc. to access them. They also tend to be (as you'd expect) out of town, located on the farms themselves.

I would love to set up a place in my town that sourced local food and addressed all the issues like staying open late, enough room for everyone, bright and airy...also maybe somewhere for people to stop and eat, give it a community feel. In the book Tescopoly, towns with large Tesco supermarkets have basically had the hearts ripped out of them.

[sunflower]

I've often wondered why people have'nt come up with this idea. I think it would have to be run as a co-operative.....all those wanting to sell having a serious stake in the business. This way all profits would go back o the suppliers. I find this a very attractive idea. It wold be interesting to find the one you heard about Jazz.

[SheepyJames]

Oooh - lily - you've set me off now! Have you tasted the Black Farmer's bacon? It is truly out of this world!

We're very lucky in this area - super farm shops which have really upped their game to "compete" with the big fella's.

[lily]

Haven't tasted the bacon, will look for it. Usually buy Cornish dry cured at small butchers in Tavistock.
Anyone whose curiosity is aroused by this exchange can view Black Farmer's website- it has an online petition to get more stockists.

[SheepyJames]

I love Tavistock, Lily. We visit fairly often because we love the Pannier Market and all the lovely shops around it. (I have to try to stay away from the cheese shop!) Then a leisurely drive back over Dartmoor to one of our many relatives on the Ashburton side.