If you have never travelled abroad to some really good supermarkets, you may not be aware that overall, our supermarkets are dire. They offer hardly any choice for people with ethics, the price of plastic packaging is passed onto us, most need a car to get to them, and there are few initiatives to help communities (save asking you to throw ‘chips’ into nominated charities, so they can shout of their good deeds, after putting local indie shops out of business). Let’s meet a few inspirational competitors from abroad, to see how to do things right!
It’s also worth noting here about American real food campaigner Michael Pollan. He is bang on the money, for bringing to book the fact that supermarkets don’t really care about our health or animal welfare or the planet, just profits. Here are a few examples he gives:
- A supermarket that cared about health would not have 2 long aisles of fresh produce as you go in, then aisles and aisles of processed high-profit junk. It would have aisles and aisles of fresh low-profit food in the middle, then the junk food on a few shelves on the perimeter.
- Milk and bread are nearly always located in the far corner. This is so you have to ‘pass other things’ to get to the basics, in the hope that you’ll buy other things you don’t need.
- Most supermarkets have no windows or clocks, so you get lost in a sense of time, to buy things you don’t need, often subconsciously from watching TV ads. People asked why they have certain goods in their trolleys, often say they have no idea!
- Sweets at the checkout, to placate screaming hyperactive children. We know that one. Jamie Oliver says that giving your child chemical-fuelled sweets is like ‘feeding them ecstasy’.
- Health low-profit cereals are on the bottom shelf (take a look, he’s right). High-profit junk cereals are at eye level, encouraging you to buy them, rather than make yourself a bowl of porridge.
- The healthy foods don’t have offers or health claims. Not one major supermarket promotes organic broccoli as their ‘deal of the month!’
New Seasons Market is a small chain of indie supermarkets in western USA and Canada, which does things differently. Each store is different (some have yoga classes, one has a coffee van staffed by ex-prisoners), most have bioswales to drain off rainwater, to avoid pollution and floods. There are 10% weekly discounts for seniors and military personnel, and Neighbour Rewards offer bonus points when you bring reusable water bottles and coffee cups. The stores have got rid of single-use still water bottles, straws and utensils, and offers reusable takeout containers, and deliver locally by zero-emission transport. Some even use their premises as car-sharing depots. If you look closely in the left hand corner, you’ll also see the store sells books to ‘Pedal Portland’, promoting cycling over cars.
Portland Food Co-op is a thriving worker-owned supermarket in Maine, USA. It sells produce from over 300 local farmers, and profits are used to care for its staff. It also donates leftover food to local charities, and composts all its waste. People on low incomes (food stamps accepted) get discounts for bulk orders, and they receive dividends, if the store earns surplus income.
Veganz (Berlin) is a supermarket in Germany. As well as being ever-so-eco (compostable internal wrapping film, cardboard sleeves and a sustainability score), what makes it interesting is that is one of the world’s first vegan supermarkets (the city has more vegans than anywhere on earth). So if you’re fed up of 5 or 6 options at your local supermarket in the ‘free from aisle’, consider this: 2500 products including 70 meat/sausage alternatives, 80 vegan cheeses and plant-based salmon, sushi and bacon. Plus a filling station for zero-waste beans, hemp seeds and muesli. The supermarket buyers over here need to go on a German jolly, to bring back some of their ideas here!
Roots Zero Waste Market (Idaho, US) is the nation’s first major zero waste supermarket and organic cafe, offering healthy bulk foods with personal care and household items, prepared meals and deli items. Only buy what you need, to reduce prices and waste. The sandwiches are freshly prepared, and you can even attach a freshly-pressed juice to your trolley, as you scour the aisles. And the store is yet more amazing, in that it was crowdfunded by the public, who were obviously crying out for something different.
