Breaking the supermarket habit...

[ABlipInContinuity]

I think (hope) I've posted this in the right spot. (On Edit: D'oh! That was meant to be in OT Knowledge!)

At the beginning of the year I sold the car and turned vegetarian/reduced reliance on meat products. The next step I intend to take is ending the onging love affair with Tesco.

My partner and I are very time pressured and that does make a once weekly/fortnightly trip to buy a bulk load of groceries from the supermarket (with the bike trailer) a huge convenience. And a tough habit to break off. We have started growing some of our own vegetables and herbs using containers in the back yard. (We don't have a garden right now ) and put our names on the waiting list for an allotment.

I have tried one or two local green grocers but I've been quite disappointed with quality of the produce. I have considered getting a delivery from box fresh organics (clicky). They could deliver to my work address which is in South Manchester but it seems a long way out for them.

Any further tips on reducing Supermarket reliance will be appreciated.
Thanks

[Charlotte]

Moved it for you 

This is a topic I'm interested in, too.  I'm lucky in that I live in West London where there are a plethora of good, independent food stores.

But when I want cat food or washing liquid or something, it's hard not to go to bloody Tescos.  I try to shop in the Co-op or Waitrose instead because they have much more ethical trading models.  Shame Waitrose is so shockingly expensive...

[ABlipInContinuity]

Moved it for you 

This is a topic I'm interested in, too.  I'm lucky in that I live in West London where there are a plethora of good, independent food stores.

But when I want cat food or washing liquid or something, it's hard not to go to bloody Tescos.  I try to shop in the Co-op or Waitrose instead because they have much more ethical trading models.  Shame Waitrose is so shockingly expensive...

Thanks!

You just made me thing about the amount of meet the dog must eat. As obvious as it is, that never occured to me before!!! I wouldn't put a dog on a vegetarian diet tho...

[Woofage]

Are there any local farmers' markets? There's quite a lot of stuff you can get in a pair of panniers...

We're spoiled here as we have a market in the TC twice a week. Very convenient as it's only about 5 mins by bike (or 20 if you have to walk)

[Ian H]

Shame Waitrose is so shockingly expensive...

For example, they stock Duchy Originals soup...next to their own brand which is more expensive.

But you get what you pay for.

[JohnP]

Moved it for you 

...  it's hard not to go to bloody Tescos.  I try to shop in the Co-op or Waitrose instead because they have much more ethical trading models.  Shame Waitrose is so shockingly expensive ...

Is the expense a cost associated with these ethical trading models?  Must it be absorbed by consumers who wish to support these models?  Will it ever be negated?

[Charlotte]

But you get what you pay for.

You do, it's true.  If I'm shopping for posh dinner party food, then it's to Waitrose I go.  I just can't afford to buy stuff from there regularly.

The Co-op is actually quite competitive on price, but you know that as much as possible of their stock is fairly traded and ethically produced. 

[juliet]

We get our veg & quite a lot of other things (tins, dry stuff, loo roll...) from an organic box scheme - The Organic Delivery Company. Organic food delivered to you. London, UK (London only, I think, but Charlotte may be interested). 

Other things (e.g. soya milk, fair trade OJ, Bourbon biscuits) come from, variously:
- Borough market (fruit, bread, extra veg, cheese, olive oil in refillable bottles, assorted tasty things)
- the Co-op down the road (soya milk, Marmite, fair trade OJ, Bourbon biscuits, rubber gloves, BEER)
- the independent corner-shop-supermarket next to it (assorted bits & bobs that the Co-op doesn't sell, like large jars of capers)
- the hippy wholefood shop in Greenwich (veggie sausages, nutritional yeast, soya mince in big bags, vegan cream cheese)
- the Indian supermarket in Brick Lane (5kg bags of rice, spices)
- the Chinese supermarket near Leicester Square (soy sauce, spices)
- very very occasionally, about once every two months, the Tesco across the park (soda crystals, a few unusual bits & pieces)

If you're going to do supermarket-type stuff, the Co-op is better than Sainsburys/Tescos/etc. 

Aren't you commuting through Manchester regularly?  Are there similar versions of any of the above that you could plan to go past on your way home?

[Ian H]

But you get what you pay for.

You do, it's true.  If I'm shopping for posh dinner party food, then it's to Waitrose I go.  I just can't afford to buy stuff from there regularly.

The Co-op is actually quite competitive on price, but you know that as much as possible of their stock is fairly traded and ethically produced. 

The Co-ops down here in the SW tend to be uniformly dowdy and down-at-heel looking. Quite uninviting. It's a huge shame that they seem to be unable to capitalise on their USPs, and they have many. I still use my local one though. But it's always a worry that the predatory ways of Tesco and others will sink them.

To my shame I can't even think where the Co-op is in Ealing.

[Chris S]

FWIW, I have a hard time getting misty eyed about Waitrose.

True, their fruit & veg are mostly organic - but (in our Waitrose in Swaffham anyway) it's all from around the globe - hardly any local stuff at all. In contrast, the nearest Tesco (Dereham) has a wide range of In Season local produce.

Personally, I prefer Dereham farmers market or a Box Scheme. My Mum uses a box scheme, which is brilliant for her (she's blind and weakened by Osteoporosis, so couldn't exactly manage to haul a 25Kg bag of spuds up the hill from the shops); once a fortnight some happy pixies bring her a veritable skipload of goodies for not many ££s.

[Greenbank]

Just buy stuff every day as you go past shops. Only takes 10 minutes on the way in, at lunch, or on the way home. Keep a list of what you need but don't go out to buy everything, just knock a few items off each day.

2kg of stuff in a pannier is not that noticable and if you do that every day you won't be dragging one haul of 28kg (or 56kg if you both do it) from a supermarket every 2 weeks.

[Charlotte]

To my shame I can't even think where the Co-op is in Ealing.

South Ealing - about 500 yards south of the Tube station next to the Homebase.

It's actually quite comparable to Tesco Metro, just without the "Finest" stuff.  Much more everyday food, which is mainly what I want.

[ABlipInContinuity]

<snip>

Aren't you commuting through Manchester regularly?  Are there similar versions of any of the above that you could plan to go past on your way home?

Thanks for that post Juliet.
There are plenty of Coops, some of them quite nice and we do use them a fair bit. There indian and chinese supermarkets. I'm sure there must be somewhere specializing in "low impact" foods.

[Ian H]

To my shame I can't even think where the Co-op is in Ealing.

South Ealing - about 500 yards south of the Tube station next to the Homebase.

It's actually quite comparable to Tesco Metro, just without the "Finest" stuff.  Much more everyday food, which is mainly what I want.

Ah. Off our usual routes.

Off topic: if, when the sun is low and casting long shadows, you look above the fascia of Threshers in Northfield Avenue, you can just make out the word 'Co-opera...' under the paint.

[rafletcher]

There indian and chinese supermarkets. I'm sure there must be somewhere specializing in "low impact" foods.

But not the Indian and Chinese supermarkets as it's mostly imported.....

And one of the reasons supermarkets in general did/do so well is the quality of the fruit and veg - a greengrocer buys from a wholesaler who buys from a market trader who buys from a producer. Supermarkets essemtially grow their own.

[bikenerd]

FWIW, I have a hard time getting misty eyed about Waitrose.

Me too.  I had to buy some more lamb when some friends announced they'd be joining us for dinner.
Waitrose being the nearest supermarket, I set off on my bike.  All I could buy was bloody New Zealand lamb that had been flown around the world and had probably been muesled as well.
I want my lamb to come from Wales or North West England, not New Zealand!

[Frenchie]

<Grumble> If you have the time to grow your veg etc. I 'd argue you are not that time-pressured Dan!!

Time-pressure for me/us means we occasionally run out of food   and also rely on food delivery and late online shopping. We do the same for the veg box. Should be getting better soon though and I believe that we may have the time to go in person and shop more locally!

[Notsototalnewbie]

Just buy stuff every day as you go past shops. Only takes 10 minutes on the way in, at lunch, or on the way home. Keep a list of what you need but don't go out to buy everything, just knock a few items off each day.

2kg of stuff in a pannier is not that noticable and if you do that every day you won't be dragging one haul of 28kg (or 56kg if you both do it) from a supermarket every 2 weeks.

This is pretty much what I do, I'd do it more except the supermarket most convenient for work is Waitrose and I can't afford to get everything from there, so every so often I will go to Sainsburys to fill up on tins etc.

Tooting is also good for fruit and veg and rice etc, I must go there more often.

I also keep meaning to try the anarchic 'Fareshare' food co-op place off the Walworth Road. You take your own containers for the rice etc so no packaging is wasted. They appartently also have a free bike workshop where people help each other fettle bikes, so they can't be bad. They're just open funny hours because they rely on volunteers which is why I never made it yet, need to make more effort.

[frankly frankie]

The Co-ops down here in the SW tend to be uniformly dowdy and down-at-heel looking. Quite uninviting.

Back before Sunday trading, the Co-op in my town (the only supermarket we have) used to turn the chiller cabinets off at weekends ...

[ABlipInContinuity]

<Grumble> If you have the time to grow your veg etc. I 'd argue you are not that time-pressured Dan!!

Time-pressure for me/us means we occasionally run out of food  and also rely on food delivery and late online shopping. We do the same for the veg box. Should be getting better soon though and I believe that we may have the time to go in person and shop more locally!

It doesn't take long to throw some compost in some tubs and push in some bulbs/plug plants!!!

[ABlipInContinuity]

The Co-ops down here in the SW tend to be uniformly dowdy and down-at-heel looking. Quite uninviting.

Back before Sunday trading, the Co-op in my town (the only supermarket we have) used to turn the chiller cabinets off at weekends ...

This potentially could be a good energy saving measure if the cabinets are empty?

[marna]

I did this a couple of years ago - decided to see how much I could avoid using Tescos. I sat down and made a shopping-list of all the things we got from there, and worked out alternatives for most of them. There was a decent health food shop near my then-work, and a nearby farmers market on Thursdays, and Borough Market on Saturdays, and a Co-op not far from my house, and just about everything was gettable from one of those. It took a bit more organisation and planning, because instead of having a 24 hour supermarket available, market-ish stuff's only available certain days of the week. (But I am very disorganised, so being forced to be a bit more organised is good for me.)

I also keep meaning to try the anarchic 'Fareshare' food co-op place off the Walworth Road. You take your own containers for the rice etc so no packaging is wasted. They appartently also have a free bike workshop where people help each other fettle bikes, so they can't be bad. They're just open funny hours because they rely on volunteers which is why I never made it yet, need to make more effort.

Oh, that's reminded me that I keep wanting to check out there, too. I never seem to remember at a remotely sensible time or place, though. (And I am a bit worried that I'm not hippy enough.)

[Notsototalnewbie]

Oh, that's reminded me that I keep wanting to check out there, too. I never seem to remember at a remotely sensible time or place, though. (And I am a bit worried that I'm not hippy enough.)

I have to admit, I have similar worries! I just need to get over it, get organised and cycle over there one day.

[Regulator]

Moved it for you 

This is a topic I'm interested in, too.  I'm lucky in that I live in West London where there are a plethora of good, independent food stores.

But when I want cat food or washing liquid or something, it's hard not to go to bloody Tescos.  I try to shop in the Co-op or Waitrose instead because they have much more ethical trading models.  Shame Waitrose is so shockingly expensive...

Shockingly expensive... or realistically priced?  What most people don't realise is that much of our weekly shop is subsidised by the producers (through bulk buying and some dodgy business practices by the big four supermarkets).

In Waitrose, you're paying nearer the true cost of the item.

[Frenchie]

Moved it for you 

This is a topic I'm interested in, too.  I'm lucky in that I live in West London where there are a plethora of good, independent food stores.

But when I want cat food or washing liquid or something, it's hard not to go to bloody Tescos.  I try to shop in the Co-op or Waitrose instead because they have much more ethical trading models.  Shame Waitrose is so shockingly expensive...

Shockingly expensive... or realistically priced?  What most people don't realise is that much of our weekly shop is subsidised by the producers (through bulk buying and some dodgy business practices by the big four supermarkets).

In Waitrose, you're paying nearer the true cost of the item.

I'd venture their mark up is also better; less volume, better quality, higher mark up.