How do you do your shopping?

[SubZeroCat]

But people on here keep saying it's better quality.

As someone who doesn't ever buy fresh fruit or veg, I just wondering what the difference is.

If it's just down to ethics, I still don't see why I should prop up some local shopkeeper. Will he fund me if I am made redundant due to falling sales?

Tomatoes are the most striking difference.

Supermarket tomatoes are orange, flavourless and small, unless you buy the rich red, on the vine ones which cost loads. Market tomatoes are much better quality and I think that generally their veg is cheaper.

Also, supermarkets use loads of (unnecessary) plastic packaging for their vegetables.

 

[bikergrrl]

But people on here keep saying it's better quality.

As someone who doesn't ever buy fresh fruit or veg, I just wondering what the difference is.

If it's just down to ethics, I still don't see why I should prop up some local shopkeeper. Will he fund me if I am made redundant due to falling sales?

Green grocers will often source local produce, so you know it's not been flown halfway across the world. As a result, the fruit/ veg is picked when it's ripe and you get it fresh, rather than veg that's been picked pre-ripe, flown across the world in cold storage and taken a week to get to the shelves.

 

[bikergrrl]

If it's just down to ethics, I still don't see why I should prop up some local shopkeeper. Will he fund me if I am made redundant due to falling sales?

In a way I understand your attitude, but the difference is only pence and the quality is much better, plus you're supporting British industry and reducing your carbon footprint too.

Unfortunately, alot of people have a "what's in it for me?" or a "I can't be bothered to make the extra effort." attitude. I do include myself in that too, don't think I'm trying to be self righteous.

 

[PacificOcean]

Green grocers will often source local produce, so you know it's not been flown halfway across the world.

Stuff like bananas?

 

[bikergrrl]

Did you notice the bit where I said "often"? Obviously not.

 

[Roadkill]

They might have the same suppliers, but I doubt grocers will manage to get fruit and veg for the same price as the big supermarkets, suppliers say supermarkets bully them and drop them if they don't do what they want.

I don't think the fruit and veg is any different, it's more a question of ethical treatment.

No, it is different in most cases.

Independent retailers (market stalls, greengrocers) buy largely from regional wholesalers. Regional wholesalers are more likely to have local links, to move produce over shorter distances and to buy from growers producing unusual varieties of crop.

Supermarkets deal direct with growers and in huge quantities (and incidentally waste a lot through 'high-grading'). They buy the varieties of produce which will stand being transported over long distances, sitting in a warehouse for ages and then still look okay on a supermarket shelf. Much stuff is picked unripe to extend its shelf-life, the downside of which is that it tastes of very little. And at the end of all this, it's actually quite expensive because of the costs of transport and storage.

That's why my old local greengrocer had lovely, tasty tomatoes from a farm only a few miles away (compared to the sort of rubbish Subzerocat describes), a wider variety of apples than the local supermarket and so on ... and pretty much all cheaper to boot.

Tbh, I remain firmly of opinion that anyone who buys fruit and veg from the supermarket either hasn't an alternative or hasn't a clue.

 

[Roadkill]

If it's just down to ethics, I still don't see why I should prop up some local shopkeeper. Will he fund me if I am made redundant due to falling sales?

It's not 'just down to ethics' and it's not a matter of 'propping up' anyone. It's a matter of choosing the best food at the best price, and much of the time that doesn't come from the supermarket.

 

[Jambooboo]

Since I got my scooter things have become a hell of a lot easier. Usually go every few days to whatever supermarket/cash and carry I am passing and pick up fresh stuff for the next few days. Maybe weekly do a 'big shop' (bottles, tins, frozen/long-life stuff) - get a hell of a lot of stuff between the underseat storage, topbox and rucksack.

Used to rely on taxis for getting back from supermarkets, which negated any savings I might have made. Either that or carried stuff back/bus back which was a ball ache (I'd be ready to collapse by the time I got through the door!).

Never bothered with online shopping - I like to peruse!

 

[marty21]

mrs21 likes to have a list if we go to the supermarket, and we've started to order on-line which is so much easier

 

[red rose]

I take the night bus to Tesco at 3am, there's no one there and they're shelf stacking so you cant get your trolley down the aisles but you can just leave your trolley in the middle gangway and go up and down the aisles one by one. Plus they play really good music at night.

 

[moonsi til]

I live on my own and work and live very close to Waitrose so tend to shop there.....I also live very close to a 24hr Asda but I have pretty much given up shopping there after years of pain and near fights for space in the fruit/veg aisles ....though I do miss the whoopsies on a Sunday about 3pm.

I tend to have a plan....esp with fresh food and feel tremendous guilt if I throw out food. Recently I have been much better at not wasting food.....and just bloody remembered that I forgot my baked beans......planning on baked potato n beans n cheese for lunch tomorrow ! Yep I have the next 4 days of food planned....

 

[bikergrrl]

No, it is different in most cases.

Independent retailers (market stalls, greengrocers) buy largely from regional wholesalers. Regional wholesalers are more likely to have local links, to move produce over shorter distances and to buy from growers producing unusual varieties of crop.

I thought that, but thanks for the confirmation.

Supermarkets deal direct with growers and in huge quantities (and incidentally waste a lot through 'high-grading'). They buy the varieties of produce which will stand being transported over long distances, sitting in a warehouse for ages and then still look okay on a supermarket shelf. Much stuff is picked unripe to extend its shelf-life, the downside of which is that it tastes of very little. And at the end of all this, it's actually quite expensive because of the costs of transport and storage.

Plus all that transportation is no good for the environment.

That's why my old local greengrocer had lovely, tasty tomatoes from a farm only a few miles away (compared to the sort of rubbish Subzerocat describes), a wider variety of apples than the local supermarket and so on ... and pretty much all cheaper to boot.

I'm not really a tomato person, but my Mum refuses to buy anything but English tomatoes, and she grows her own too. I think it's the Spanish ones that she complains about being tasteless and having thick tough skin.

Tbh, I remain firmly of opinion that anyone who buys fruit and veg from the supermarket either hasn't an alternative or hasn't a clue.

Or they're just lazy. Like me... but I am going to try my best to change that now.