Gourmet Britain!
Nothing defines a
gourmet lifestyle like purchasing prowess. The British if nothing
else are dedicated shoppers. They avidly read all labels and take
note of all E numbers, although not caring what they do, or what they
are. They always check on the country of origin, although “Buy one
get one free” and “reduced to clear” are not officially
recognised as independent countries by the United Nations. (Nanny
sate NIMBYism )
Buying British is
important but free trade should not be overlooked, and can be
ethically beneficial. Equal importance is thus give to UK goods as to
the intergalactic republic of Saturn and Jupiter.
Quality marks
Britain is a nation of
animal lovers and are environmentally concerned. This is why
stringent rules and regulations exist in the UK to ensure animals and
crops are farmed ethically and compassionately.
To ensure the public
are aware of the high standards various making systems exist. For
example the red tractor means expensive, compassion in farming -very
expensive, and Organic, don't be daft put it back. All products
bearing these markings will remain on the supermarket shelves
indefinitely until trumped with a large yellow label clearly stating
“Reduced to clear.”
High street vs
Supermarkets
The high street is for
charity shops, bookmakers, banks, and loan sharks.
Supermarkets is where
you buy everything.
It is true years ago
there were independent shops selling vegetables, meat, fish, clothes,
and groceries. Now this is done by the supermarkets. Supermarkets do
no serve the public, they make profit for shareholders. Shareholders
compete with other shareholders for market domination. This is called
a price war. Price wars are what consumers want and need. During
these wars, prime steak can be cheaper than Spam, dairy products
cheaper than water, and alcohol cheaper than screen wash.
Innovation is the
weapon of the price war. Dairy products can not be sold unless in the
shape of a teddy bear, or cheese in strings.
Footfall is vitally
important in price wars. The footfall of customers coming into the
supermarket indicates how effective price wars can be. The footfall
of producers leaving the supermarkets indicates short sighted the
profit margin can be.
Vegetables
all supermarkets have
fresh fruit and vegetables near the entrance. The waste of fruit and
vegetables is phenomenal. Vegetables mature and rot at differing
rates. It is a perceived fact that the conversion of vegetable starch
into sugar reaches it optimum 4 seconds before the fruit rots. The
pursuit of this 4 second fruit Nirvana is all consuming. This is why
shoppers head straight for the reduced to clear rack to gain a march
on the Nirvana moment. Refrigerators throughout the UK are full of
sprouting, mouldy, slimy, fruit, and vegetables that have just past
the Nirvana by a second or two.
Meat and Fish
All meat and meat
products are hygienically wrapped in disposable wrapping. It is
essential this wrapping is disposed of safely. You would not want a
child to eat the wrapping as they would have difficulty in discerning
the plastic wrapping from the plastic meat. The packaging informs you
if the meat is Dry cured, air cured, brined, smoked, hung, beaten or
just neglected. It doesn't mention taste, Why should it if there
isn't any.
Fish can be sold even
if the eyes are dull and there is a strong smell of ammonia providing
a reduced to clear label is firmly attached.
Labels and allergens
some people have
allergies to certain foods. These can be life threatening, so it is
important the food is labelled correctly. This does not mean that
labels should be boring and uninteresting. Products containing Whey
can be written in Portuguese or Serbo Croat, to stimulate the
British linguistic skills.
At present there is
little opposition to the domination of the supermarket. Attempts have
been made to promote grow your own. This would mean dirty hands
broken nails, and looking at snails.
The alternative is
Farmers markets. Isn't that what they do abroad?
Fresh fruit and
vegetables, meat and dairy products sold by the producer. All food
tasty, and traceable, with the ability to talk to the producer about
keeping, handling and how to cook.
I doubt if it will take
off, just because they do it in the rest of the world is no reason
the British should follow suit. After all Britain is a gourmet
country.
