Shopping for Food

Supermarkets

Although supermarkets are convenient and cheap, they are rarely the best option in terms of sustainability. The produce they sell is bought in bulk and imported from all over the world. This international transportation of food products is a major contributor to global warming.

Supermarkets have been accused of using their immense buying power to drive down the prices they pay to suppliers, forcing farmers to adopt intensive methods that maximise their yields or be driven out of business. The hidden costs of intensive farming include a decrease in soil quality, less space for wild plants and animals and water pollution. When only one crop is grown it can be more easily destroyed by pests and farmers are forced to use chemical pesticides and herbicides to control them. Many of these chemicals are known to be hazardous to human health.

Supermarkets are also responsible for a considerable amount of waste - the estimated retail value of food dumped by UK supermarkets is over £18 billion annually. Although a certain amount of the unused produce goes to charity the bulk of it goes to landfill.

Most people in Jersey buy their food from just two retailers - the Co-op and CI Traders, who own Le Riches, Checkers, Safeway and the Marks and Spencer franchise. The Co-op is a champion of Fairtrade and offers a dividend to all of its customers. It also supports the local community through financial support and voluntary action.

While buying from smaller, specialist retailers or direct from farmers is best, avoiding supermarkets altogether is difficult as they are often the best option for convenience and cost. The secret to more sustainable supermarket shopping is to plan carefully. Before you go, consider what is in season and when deciding what to buy give priority to fresh, local produce. Try to avoid too many processed foods and products with excess packaging.

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Farmer's Markets

A number of small, local producers have responded to growing economic pressures by wrestling back control of the supply chain and selling direct to consumers. This benefits both consumers, who get fresh, local produce at lower prices and farmers, who get to keep 100 per cent of their profits.

In Jersey there are a number of roadside stalls with 'honesty boxes' that sell fresh, locally grown produce at competitive prices. More recently, farmer's markets have been held at various locations around the island including the Royal Square, St Aubin and St Catherine's breakwater.

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Fairtrade

An increasing number of retailers in Jersey now stock Fairtrade food products. The Co-op and Oxfam are particular champions.

Most fairly traded foods carry the Fairtrade Mark on the packaging. This acts as a guarantee of quality and ensures that the small farmers and plantation workers involved receive a fair price for their produce or labour. It also ensures that some of the profit is invested in local sustainable development projects.

Certified producers are re-inspected every year and standards are rigorously enforced.

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Organic

The organic label is a guarantee that the food you buy has been grown using traditional, sustainable farming methods that minimise the use of chemicals and the amount of harm to the environment. The word 'organic' is defined and protected by law and to be labelled 'organic' food produce must comply with a strict set of standards. A number of different certification systems for organic foods are in use worldwide. The Soil Association symbol is one of the best guarantees of quality and appears on around 70 per cent of organic food grown in the UK.

More and more people are choosing organic products when they shop. According to the Soil Association, sales of organic food grew by 30 per cent in 2005. There is still some debate about whether organic food provides consumers with value for money and some studies claim that it is no better for you than cheaper, non-organic alternatives. The UK Food Standards Agency, for example, claims that there are no differences in nutritional value between organic and non-organic products. Nevertheless, the growing number of people buying organic shows that there is genuine public concern about food production.

Buying organic food provides the consumer with a number of guarantees:

  • Fewer pesticides and fertilisers are used in production
  • Animals are well treated and kept in good health
  • The use of hormones or antibiotics is restricted
  • Soil quality is maintained by crop rotation
  • Organic products are guaranteed free from GM ingredients

Whatever the outcome of this particular debate, there is no doubt that organic farming is better for the planet. It is much more sustainable and less damaging to the environment than more intensive methods that rely on the heavy use of fertilisers and pesticides.

Increasing consumer demand for organic products has led to international pressure to relax the strict regulations on organic food but this is being fiercely resisted by the Soil Association. If you have any concerns about the integrity of organic produce, this handy guide should help.

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