| A recent report by War on Want and the British | | | | responsibility, a new report from Friends of the |
| GMB, investigating the case of Wal-Mart (ASDA), | | | | Earth shows that Tescos practices are putting |
| shows how the relentless pursuit of supermarkets | | | | many UK farmers out of business; while on the |
| of the lowest possible prices has a negative | | | | high street, some 2,000 independent stores went |
| impact on the supermarkets local communities as | | | | out of businesses in the last year alone, unable to |
| well as their suppliers, often based in the poorest | | | | compete with promotions and planning and |
| countries of the world. | | | | taxation policies which favour the multiples over |
| A few years ago, the supermarket retailer | | | | smaller shops. |
| Safeway (now owned by Asda AKA Wal-mart) | | | | One in five people think that supermarkets are |
| sent letters to their farmer suppliers asking for a | | | | most influential when planning decisions get made, |
| contribution of £20,000 per product line, in | | | | over the council or local people. Often people |
| order to improve marketing of the products. | | | | cannot get obtain planning permission to build an |
| They went on to invoice their suppliers for these | | | | extension yet the supermarkets are often |
| sums. | | | | granted permission to build huge stores the size |
| Supermarkets have tended to only do business | | | | of football stadiums |
| with the largest scale suppliers at the lowest cost | | | | But, things are changing for the better- |
| wherever they may be located. Next time you go | | | | Supermarkets are trialing having tractors deliver |
| to the supermarket take a closer look at the | | | | goods straight to the supermarket door to save |
| food labels, you will see New Zealand lamb and | | | | on food miles. |
| vegetables from Israel. But this is not what most | | | | Tesco are installing solar panels and using |
| shoppers would choose - when asked, they say | | | | renewable energy in certain stores to show how |
| they prefer British farm food. Supermarkets are | | | | green they are becoming. |
| moving towards this as many are now offering | | | | Waitrose has started its own fair-trade scheme. |
| vegetable and meat box schemes stocked only | | | | The cash has been raised as part of the food |
| with local and often organic food. Many small firms | | | | retailers initiative to return a sizeable proportion of |
| have spent years building organic box schemes | | | | profits it earns on sales of citrus fruits to the |
| and organic delivery into a viable business only for | | | | farmers who grow them. |
| supermarkets to jump in on the act as it | | | | Ikea is to become the UKs first major retailer to |
| becomes more mainstream. | | | | regularly charge customers for plastic bags, to try |
| Britains supermarkets are damaging British | | | | and tackle waste and environmental damage. |
| business, are bad for consumers and bad for the | | | | The success of Marks & Spencers ethical |
| environment. Farmers and consumers are paying | | | | marketing drive that urged shoppers to "look |
| the price of its uncontrolled expansion here and | | | | behind the label" has dwarfed all its previous |
| overseas. MPs must act now to curb the growing | | | | advertising campaigns, according to research from |
| market power of supermarkets and ensure that | | | | a leading City brokerage. |
| Britains booming supermarket industry does not | | | | Supermarket Sainsburys is to sell more than 500 |
| kill off farmers, consumer choice and the | | | | of its own-brand products in compostable packs |
| traditional British high street. | | | | instead of plastic as it seeks to cut packaging |
| The UK Competition Commission has been called | | | | waste. It says the scheme, already trialled on |
| upon to look at the actions of supermarkets | | | | some of its organic range, will save 3,550 tonnes |
| which many say are damaging almost everything | | | | of plastic a year. |
| that they touch. | | | | Is this a genuine change in attitudes by the |
| Tesco controls nearly one third of the UK grocery | | | | supermarkets or merely a change in public |
| market, setting the standard across the retail | | | | relations direction to ensure they get all the green |
| sector. But while the company boasts about its | | | | pounds that tend to be spent in local markets and |
| commitment to fair trade and corporate | | | | shops? Ill let you decide. |