Nouslife: Real Food: Press for change: Make shopping fair

10 August 2006

Real Food: Press for change: Make shopping fair

I've just emailed the UK Competition commission about the oligopolistic power of supermarkets in the food-buying markets. I would like to encourge UK readers to click on the title of this post and do likewise. These FoE campaigns have had a lot of success lately, and so this could really achieve something.

Here's what I wrote, adapted from the pro forma.

It's great that the Competition Commission is making a new market investigation into supermarkets. I am one of those many people who want to be able to buy fresh, healthy food which is produced locally to where I shop, and I value the choice that independent shops provide.

I most definitely don't want food to be produced and sold at the expense of farmers, workers rights or the environment.

So, when you are looking at the impacts on consumers of growing supermarket dominance, I would like you to take the following action:
- Inhibit any new take-overs by Tesco or other major supermarkets.
- Recommend strengthened planning policies which can protect local shops and High Streets and maintains current restrictions on out-of-town development.
- Put in place a stronger and -more importantly still- legally binding code of practice to ensure that all suppliers
throughout the supply chain at home and overseas, are treated fairly.
- Appoint and independent watchdog to ensure the grocery market is operating in the interests of consumers, farmers and small retailers.
- Recommend rules to hold supermarkets accountable for internationally recognised workers' rights throughout their supply chains.