Resources – Books, leaflets, websites
‘10 ways to create a better world – don’t shop at supermarkets’ leaflet available from Richard Boden c/o Wyecycle, The Greenhouse, Unit 2a Briar Close Industrial Estate, Wye, Kent TN25 5HB Tel: 01233 813298 Fax:01233 813298 email:info(at)wyecycle.org Richard was involved in setting up Wye Farmers Market and is happy to offer advice to anyone interested in setting up a farmers market. He is also the instigator of 'National Don't Shop at Supermarkets' Day which takes place annually on 4th September.
Norman Baker, The Liberal Democrats 'How Green is Your Supermarket?' (2003)
The report is based on responses from the ‘big nine’ supermarket chains to questions from Mr Baker on packaging and waste, sourcing and energy use. Some gems from the report; supermarket lorries travel the equivalent of two return trips to the moon every day, in 21 years the supermarkets have produced enough plastic bags to cover the whole of England.
Published by the Liberal Democrats and available to download at www.libdems.org.uk/index.cfm/page.homepage/section.home/article.6271
Joanna Blythman
"Shopped: The Shocking Power of British Supermarkets" Fourth Estate 2004
Looks at the enormous power and influence that a small number of big supermarkets have over the food that we eat. As part of her research she worked on the checkout at Asda and she uncovers some unsavoury facts about life on the till, about instore bakeries, supermarket buyers bullying tactics and the impact of the supermarkets on our diets and pockets.
Competition Commission
‘Supermarkets: A report of the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom' Volumes 1-3, 2000
www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2000/446super.htm#full
This extensive report has a lot of useful information on supermarkets, but in particular see:
Chapter 12:Land and Planning Issues – sections 12.3 Planning Policy for supermarkets; 12.43 Determinations by local authorities; 12.51 Local planning authorities’ reasons for refusal; 12.53 Appeals and called in applications.
Chapter 13:Social and Environmental Issues – sections 13.1 Summary and 13.2 Recommendations from the DETR report 1998 ‘The Impact of Large Foodstores on Market Towns’.
Corporate Watch
"What’s wrong with Supermarkets?" 2004
Available from Corporate Watch, £1.00 + 50p postage or download at www.corporatewatch.org/pages/whats_wrong_suprmkts.htm
"A Rough Guide to the UK Farming Crisis" 2004
Available from Corporate Watch, £2.50/£5.00 + £1.00 postage or download at
www.corporatewatch.org.uk/agriculture/farmreport.pdf
Supermarket profiles including Tesco, J Sainsbury and Asda
www.corporatewatch.org.uk/profiles/company_profiles.htm
Contact Corporate Watch, 16b Cherwell Street, Oxford, OX4 1BG tel: 01865 791 391
email: mail(at)corporatewatch.org website: www.corporatewatch.org.uk
Council for the Protection of Rural England
They also have a general guide to campaigning 'Getting Organised and Getting Results' which can be downloaded from the CPRE website www.cpre.org.uk. CPRE also produces a number of reports which look at the alternatives to supermarkets:
Food Webs (2002) A report on local food networks in East Suffolk, which demonstrates the importance of local shops and services to rural communities. It reveals the complex web of interconnection between local producers and farmers and local shops. Free with A4 SAE or download from CPRE website. Local Action for Local Foods (2002) A campaigners guide to promoting local foods including influencing key players such as local retailers, supermarkets and restaurants; the processes involved; sources of information and how to tailor a local action plan. Best used in conjunction with Sustainable Local Foods (below). Cost £3.50 or download from CPRE website. Sustainable Local Foods (2001) Campaign briefing which aims to reconnect consumers with farmers and producers. It helps to empower the public to make informed choices about the food they eat and the way it is produced and distributed; to gain recognition of the benefits of a local food economy and encourage more support for local food initiatives. Cost £3.50
Contact CPRE, 128 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SW Tel: 020 7981 2800 Fax: 020 7981 2899 Email: info(at)cpre.org.uk Website: www.cpre.org.uk
Ethical Consumer
Ethical Consumer Magazine: Buyers' Guide to Supermarkets Issue 86 Dec 03/Jan04 £3.50 rates the big supermarkets according to their environmental and social impact Research Supplement: Supermarkets Issue 86 Dec03/Jan04 £3.00
contains ethical records for the supermarkets covered in the buyers guide, references, company ownership and contact details and background data that could not be fitted into the magazine.
Back issues available from ECRA Publishing Ltd, Freepost, NWW978A, Manchester M15 9EP Tel 0161 226 2929 e-mail: mail(at)ethicalconsumer.org website: www.ethicalconsumer.org
The Ecologist
Special report 'The Shocking Power of Supermarkets' September 2004
A series of articles by food writers Joanna Blythman and Felicity Lawrence on the power of the major supermarkets and their impact on the food we eat.
Available from The Ecologist, Unit 18, Chelsea Wharf, 15 Lots Road, London, SW10 0QJ Tel: 0207 351 3578 Fax: 0207 351 3617. Extracts from the report are also on the Ecologist website www.theecologist.org
Felicity Lawrence
'Not on the Label:What Really Goes into the Food on Your Plate' (2004) Penguin. A series of in depth investigations into the production of some of our commonest foods (including bread, coffee, lettuce, apples, chicken and prawns). It exposes how the food industry has caused the deterioration of the British diet, environmental damage and urban blight, and how it starves smallholders in Africa and Asia and exploits illegal labour in Britain.
Friends of the Earth
"Why the New PPS6 could damage town centres" MP briefing (November 2004)
"The Tesco Takeover: Why market muscle is bad for business" (June 2005)
www.tescopoly.org/images/stories/the_tesco_takeover.pdf
"A local campaigner's guide to the new local planning system" (January 2005) will help navigate you through this new and very confusing system.
www.foe.co.uk/resource/guides/new_english_planning_system.pdf.
George Monbiot
"Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain" MacMillan, 2000.
This book looks at how corporations (including the big supermarkets) are now so powerful that they have co-opted, largely willing, governments to do their bidding, at the expense of democracy and environmental protection. Also see George Monbiot’s website www.monbiot.com which contains an archive of his Guardian newspaper opinion pieces on food and farming.
OTDOGS
"Save green spaces from destruction by food giants: a practical guide to local action" (1994). Available from OTDOGS £3.40, post free c/o John Beasley, 6 Everthorpe Road, London, SE15 4DA. Tel: 0208 693 9412.
New Economics Foundation
"Ghost Town Britain: the threat from economic globalisation to livelihoods, liberty and local economic freedom" (2002) This report shows how, over the past two decades, the construction of large out-of-town shopping centres and waves of high street bank branch closures have driven many people away from town-centre shopping, resulting in the loss of thousands of independent traders. £15.00 or download from the website
"Ghost Town Britain II: Death on the High Street" (2003) An update on their earlier report. £10.00 or download from website
"Clone Town Britain: The loss of local identity on the nation's high streets" (2004) £7.50 or download from website
Contact: New Economics Foundation, 3 Jonathan Street, London, SE11 5NH Tel: 020 7820 6300 email: info(at)neweconomics.org website: www.neweconomics.org
"Clone Town Britain: The survey results on the bland state of the nation" (June 2005)
Sustain
"Eating Oil: Food Supply in a Changing Climate" (2001). Includes lots of statistics on food miles and why local/regional food systems are best. £12.00 + £1.00 post & packing.
"Local Food; Benefits, obstacles and opportunities" (2002). Download from website.
Contact Sustain, 94 White Lion Street, London, N1 9PF Tel: 0207 837 1228 Fax: 0207 837 1141 email: sustain(at)sustainweb.org website: www.sustainweb.org
Great websites www.everylittlehurts.org.uk/ was set up in response to Tesco's national programme of closing community post offices. It's designed to let people know about the scale of Tesco's post office closure programme, to let local campaigners that they are not alone in the face of the Tesco juggernaut and to provide a resource for those opposed to Tesco's closure programme. www.tescopoly.org – an alliance of seven national organisations including Banana Link, the GMB and War on Want highlighting Tesco's excessive market share. www.breakingthearmlock.com The 'Breaking the Armlock' alliance of 15 national consumer, development, environment and farming organisations is calling for legislation to curb the power of the supermarkets. The Alliance is currently campaigning for a mandatory Code of Practice for the supermarkets in their dealings with suppliers and an independent and proactive watchdog. The alliance has other more long term demands including a moratorium on Tesco's growth. www.supermarkets-sweep-up.com – a blog keeping an eye on supermarket market behaviour. A great source of news and information including newspaper articles. www.keeplouisvilleweird.com “Keep Louisville Weird” is a grassroots public awareness campaign, recently and quietly begun by a small but growing coalition of independent Louisville, Kentucky business owners who are concerned with the spreading homogenization of our hometown.
‘10 ways to create a better world – don’t shop at supermarkets’ leaflet available from Richard Boden c/o Wyecycle, The Greenhouse, Unit 2a Briar Close Industrial Estate, Wye, Kent TN25 5HB Tel: 01233 813298 Fax:01233 813298 email:info(at)wyecycle.org Richard was involved in setting up Wye Farmers Market and is happy to offer advice to anyone interested in setting up a farmers market. He is also the instigator of 'National Don't Shop at Supermarkets' Day which takes place annually on 4th September.
Norman Baker, The Liberal Democrats 'How Green is Your Supermarket?' (2003)
The report is based on responses from the ‘big nine’ supermarket chains to questions from Mr Baker on packaging and waste, sourcing and energy use. Some gems from the report; supermarket lorries travel the equivalent of two return trips to the moon every day, in 21 years the supermarkets have produced enough plastic bags to cover the whole of England.
Published by the Liberal Democrats and available to download at www.libdems.org.uk/index.cfm/page.homepage/section.home/article.6271
Joanna Blythman
"Shopped: The Shocking Power of British Supermarkets" Fourth Estate 2004
Looks at the enormous power and influence that a small number of big supermarkets have over the food that we eat. As part of her research she worked on the checkout at Asda and she uncovers some unsavoury facts about life on the till, about instore bakeries, supermarket buyers bullying tactics and the impact of the supermarkets on our diets and pockets.
Competition Commission
‘Supermarkets: A report of the supply of groceries from multiple stores in the United Kingdom' Volumes 1-3, 2000
www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/2000/446super.htm#full
This extensive report has a lot of useful information on supermarkets, but in particular see:
Chapter 12:Land and Planning Issues – sections 12.3 Planning Policy for supermarkets; 12.43 Determinations by local authorities; 12.51 Local planning authorities’ reasons for refusal; 12.53 Appeals and called in applications.
Chapter 13:Social and Environmental Issues – sections 13.1 Summary and 13.2 Recommendations from the DETR report 1998 ‘The Impact of Large Foodstores on Market Towns’.
Corporate Watch
"What’s wrong with Supermarkets?" 2004
Available from Corporate Watch, £1.00 + 50p postage or download at www.corporatewatch.org/pages/whats_wrong_suprmkts.htm
"A Rough Guide to the UK Farming Crisis" 2004
Available from Corporate Watch, £2.50/£5.00 + £1.00 postage or download at
www.corporatewatch.org.uk/agriculture/farmreport.pdf
Supermarket profiles including Tesco, J Sainsbury and Asda
www.corporatewatch.org.uk/profiles/company_profiles.htm
Contact Corporate Watch, 16b Cherwell Street, Oxford, OX4 1BG tel: 01865 791 391
email: mail(at)corporatewatch.org website: www.corporatewatch.org.uk
Council for the Protection of Rural England
They also have a general guide to campaigning 'Getting Organised and Getting Results' which can be downloaded from the CPRE website www.cpre.org.uk. CPRE also produces a number of reports which look at the alternatives to supermarkets:
Food Webs (2002) A report on local food networks in East Suffolk, which demonstrates the importance of local shops and services to rural communities. It reveals the complex web of interconnection between local producers and farmers and local shops. Free with A4 SAE or download from CPRE website. Local Action for Local Foods (2002) A campaigners guide to promoting local foods including influencing key players such as local retailers, supermarkets and restaurants; the processes involved; sources of information and how to tailor a local action plan. Best used in conjunction with Sustainable Local Foods (below). Cost £3.50 or download from CPRE website. Sustainable Local Foods (2001) Campaign briefing which aims to reconnect consumers with farmers and producers. It helps to empower the public to make informed choices about the food they eat and the way it is produced and distributed; to gain recognition of the benefits of a local food economy and encourage more support for local food initiatives. Cost £3.50
Contact CPRE, 128 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SW Tel: 020 7981 2800 Fax: 020 7981 2899 Email: info(at)cpre.org.uk Website: www.cpre.org.uk
Ethical Consumer
Ethical Consumer Magazine: Buyers' Guide to Supermarkets Issue 86 Dec 03/Jan04 £3.50 rates the big supermarkets according to their environmental and social impact Research Supplement: Supermarkets Issue 86 Dec03/Jan04 £3.00
contains ethical records for the supermarkets covered in the buyers guide, references, company ownership and contact details and background data that could not be fitted into the magazine.
Back issues available from ECRA Publishing Ltd, Freepost, NWW978A, Manchester M15 9EP Tel 0161 226 2929 e-mail: mail(at)ethicalconsumer.org website: www.ethicalconsumer.org
The Ecologist
Special report 'The Shocking Power of Supermarkets' September 2004
A series of articles by food writers Joanna Blythman and Felicity Lawrence on the power of the major supermarkets and their impact on the food we eat.
Available from The Ecologist, Unit 18, Chelsea Wharf, 15 Lots Road, London, SW10 0QJ Tel: 0207 351 3578 Fax: 0207 351 3617. Extracts from the report are also on the Ecologist website www.theecologist.org
Felicity Lawrence
'Not on the Label:What Really Goes into the Food on Your Plate' (2004) Penguin. A series of in depth investigations into the production of some of our commonest foods (including bread, coffee, lettuce, apples, chicken and prawns). It exposes how the food industry has caused the deterioration of the British diet, environmental damage and urban blight, and how it starves smallholders in Africa and Asia and exploits illegal labour in Britain.
Friends of the Earth
"Why the New PPS6 could damage town centres" MP briefing (November 2004)
"The Tesco Takeover: Why market muscle is bad for business" (June 2005)
www.tescopoly.org/images/stories/the_tesco_takeover.pdf
"A local campaigner's guide to the new local planning system" (January 2005) will help navigate you through this new and very confusing system.
www.foe.co.uk/resource/guides/new_english_planning_system.pdf.
George Monbiot
"Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain" MacMillan, 2000.
This book looks at how corporations (including the big supermarkets) are now so powerful that they have co-opted, largely willing, governments to do their bidding, at the expense of democracy and environmental protection. Also see George Monbiot’s website www.monbiot.com which contains an archive of his Guardian newspaper opinion pieces on food and farming.
OTDOGS
"Save green spaces from destruction by food giants: a practical guide to local action" (1994). Available from OTDOGS £3.40, post free c/o John Beasley, 6 Everthorpe Road, London, SE15 4DA. Tel: 0208 693 9412.
New Economics Foundation
"Ghost Town Britain: the threat from economic globalisation to livelihoods, liberty and local economic freedom" (2002) This report shows how, over the past two decades, the construction of large out-of-town shopping centres and waves of high street bank branch closures have driven many people away from town-centre shopping, resulting in the loss of thousands of independent traders. £15.00 or download from the website
"Ghost Town Britain II: Death on the High Street" (2003) An update on their earlier report. £10.00 or download from website
"Clone Town Britain: The loss of local identity on the nation's high streets" (2004) £7.50 or download from website
Contact: New Economics Foundation, 3 Jonathan Street, London, SE11 5NH Tel: 020 7820 6300 email: info(at)neweconomics.org website: www.neweconomics.org
"Clone Town Britain: The survey results on the bland state of the nation" (June 2005)
Sustain
"Eating Oil: Food Supply in a Changing Climate" (2001). Includes lots of statistics on food miles and why local/regional food systems are best. £12.00 + £1.00 post & packing.
"Local Food; Benefits, obstacles and opportunities" (2002). Download from website.
Contact Sustain, 94 White Lion Street, London, N1 9PF Tel: 0207 837 1228 Fax: 0207 837 1141 email: sustain(at)sustainweb.org website: www.sustainweb.org
Great websites www.everylittlehurts.org.uk/ was set up in response to Tesco's national programme of closing community post offices. It's designed to let people know about the scale of Tesco's post office closure programme, to let local campaigners that they are not alone in the face of the Tesco juggernaut and to provide a resource for those opposed to Tesco's closure programme. www.tescopoly.org – an alliance of seven national organisations including Banana Link, the GMB and War on Want highlighting Tesco's excessive market share. www.breakingthearmlock.com The 'Breaking the Armlock' alliance of 15 national consumer, development, environment and farming organisations is calling for legislation to curb the power of the supermarkets. The Alliance is currently campaigning for a mandatory Code of Practice for the supermarkets in their dealings with suppliers and an independent and proactive watchdog. The alliance has other more long term demands including a moratorium on Tesco's growth. www.supermarkets-sweep-up.com – a blog keeping an eye on supermarket market behaviour. A great source of news and information including newspaper articles. www.keeplouisvilleweird.com “Keep Louisville Weird” is a grassroots public awareness campaign, recently and quietly begun by a small but growing coalition of independent Louisville, Kentucky business owners who are concerned with the spreading homogenization of our hometown.
Download