Yesterday I went to my local green grocer and bought two large boxes of fruit and vegetables. Then out of interest I called by local supermarket and compared the prices. The supermarket was much dearer for most of the items that I had purchased. Mango, melon, lemon, apple, spinach, tomato, carrot, pepper, cucumber, orange were all more expensive in the supermarket than my local corner shop greengrocer. Some supermarket items were twice the price of the local friendly green grocer. The melon that cost me 0.80 was on offer at a special price of 1.60. Yet this is the supermarket that offers low cost box choc-ices that are 0.08 each. This same store has family size pizzas with a bargain two-for-the-price-of-one deal. The supermarket shelves present expensive fresh food and very cheap processed food. So what does Mr. and Mrs. average buy?
So what? Why should it matter?
Fact: Obesity and all its associated consequences is the worlds number one health issue.
Fact: Diet is linked to one third of all cancers.
Fact: Health service real costs in the developed world continue to rise.
Fact: Individuals are spending more on health care products. Example.
Fact: The cost of food-stuff has fallen over the last 30 years.
Now let's look at the theory that the best health care products are at the green grocers and can be inexpensive and tasty. More and more research is providing a consistent picture that not only is the cheap processed food unhealthy but that fresh produce is positively good for health.
The benefits of the high fibre and antioxidants in fresh fruit and veg have become well understood but other research is show more interesting benefits.
A few examples include:
- Vitamin C : Arterial deposits are a major health costs but are dramatically combated by high levels of this vitamin found in all fresh fruit and veg.
Prevention of artherosclerosis with phenolic compounds found in exotic fruits such as persimmons. - Pop a few walnuts in that salad. It helps to make your arteries more elastic from its contribution to your intake of alpha linolenic acid.
- Control cholesterol through regulating your homocysteine levels with healthy consumption of folic acid and B6 and B12. This means dark green produces such as spinach (eat it raw in salad).
So in the UK we have well debated five-a-day campaign promoted by uk_Gov. The irony is the food retailing model is working contrary to the heath of the nation. Government advertising to promote healthy eating is a consequence of the food retailing industry. It's little use banning fatty food advertisements targeted at young people when it's their parents who do the food shopping. It's ineffective promoting healthy eating when the supermarkets overwhelm any government propaganda through the square footage of the their shelves.
But let's not forget the average shoppers perspective. The shopper is in a hurry, traveling by car and who demand the convenience of a one stop shop but also cheap food.
Here's the solution.
Once again the free market economy has failed society. We need to enable the food shopper a convenient means of acquiring healthy food at competitive prices. A minor market intervention is needed but the solution is so simple and uses market forces.
Do you remember the old market stalls? Let's take the old outdoor market stall to the supermarket. Every supermarket over a specified size must provide a cover area (an area based on a percentage of the total store size) at their entrance to be allocated to market stall holders. Here stall holders will be able to operate the same hours as the supermarket, selling competitively priced fruit and veg that they purchased through the wholesale markets. The rent paid by the market stall holders will be an open market price but the allocation of the stalls will be managed by an agent who is appointed by the local public authority.
Problem Sorted. Let's make it happen! Write to your MP - send him this link.
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