There is a crisis growing in the world of supermarkets, and it is based on growing consumer distrust. A Good Housekeeping magazine survey in September 2001 showed that only one in six trusted them to sell safe food. Three in four people (76%) are more concerned than ever before about the safety of the food they buy.[84]

Beside the health scares associated with factory farming and food handling, supermarkets promote unhealthy food, which can lead to diet related diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diet related cancers (breast, colon etc), osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, dental problems and vitamin and iron deficiencies. Obesity is only now being recognised as a food-related disease of epidemic proportions in the UK.

Ever noticed how in-store promotions and advertising campaigns tend to focus on cheap synthetic foods, especially aimed at children. In a recent survey, the Co-op found that 73% of children ask their parents to buy sweets and crisps they have seen advertised and only 19% give up when their parents say no. Meanwhile 71% of kids have bought something on the strength of a free gift or special offer.[85] The Walkers crisps 'Books for Schools' promotion and Tesco's voucher schemes for computer equipment were both slammed by the Consumer's Association for promoting unhealthy eating as well as being a rip off. You have to spend £220,000 at Tesco to get a computer worth less than £1000.[86]

Between 'cause-related marketing' and 'pester power', instead of giving our children the best food available, we are giving them the most unhealthy. Such foods often consist of highly processed pre-fried, re-formed bits of animal protein or carbohydrates heavily loaded with saturated fat, sugar and salt. Strong flavours easily appeal to a child's uneducated palate. On the other hand, there is strong evidence for a protective effect of fruit and vegetables against chronic diseases such as CVD and cancers.[87]

Coronary heart disease (CHD), which makes up half of all cardiovascular disease, costs the taxpayer around £10 billion a year. Obesity costs the tax payer £2.5 billion a year.[88] National data from 1971-1991 suggest that it is increasingly the poorest in society who suffer from CHD.[89]

A recent survey by the Food Commission, illustrated that a shopping basket of 'healthier options' was a staggering 51% more expensive than a basket of standard processed foods. They also found that healthy options were not available in many discount stores, especially a good range of fresh fruit, vegetables and staple foods which need preparation such as flour and dry pasta.[90] Next time you are in a supermarket you may like to ask why it is that fresh healthy produce is more expensive than processed food on their shelves.

A new trend is to promote the healthy aspect of food products, advertising the added vitamin and mineral content in processed food. It is not surprising that vitamins have to be added to products as intensive agriculture and processing have led to a massive decrease in the nutrient levels in foods.[91]

So exactly what's in processed foods? Take 'Sunny Delight', the Procter and Gamble drink often mistaken for fruit juice. It consists of water, high fructose corn syrup (major ingredient in synthetic fizzy drinks) and 2% or less of each of the following: Concentrated orange juice, concentrated tangerine juice, concentrated lime juice, concentrated grapefruit juice, citric acid ascorbic acid (vitamin C), beta-carotene, thiamin hydrochloride (vitamin B1), natural flavours (catch-all term for synthetic flavourings that do not have to be listed on the label), food starch-modified sodium citrate, cottonseed oil, propylene glycol alginate, xanthan gum, guar gum, sodium hexametaphosphate, potassium sorbate (to protect flavor), yellow #5, yellow #6.

With this knowledge, its tempting to just eat a nice juicy organic orange or home-grown apple instead. Its probably cheaper and certainly better for you!

References
[84] 'Shoppers loosing faith in Supermarkets' by Jo Willey, PA News 9/9/01.
[85] Food Crimes: A Consumer Perspective on the Ethics of Modern Food Production. CWS Ltd. www.co-op.co.uk.
[86] 'School voucher schemes under fire' 6 December, 2001 http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/education/ newsid_1694000/1694388.stm
[87] For more information see 'Why Health is Key to Food and Farming'. See Further Reading Section.
[88] Ibid.
[89] Ibid.
[90] 'Healthier diets cost more than ever!' Food Magazine 55. Oct/Dec 2001
[91] 'Why Fruit and Veg were better for us 50 years ago' Daily Mail, March 5, 2001. www.whale.to/w/veg.html