When we look more closely at the hidden costs of supermarkets, the choice, convenience and value they supposedly offer becomes questionable. By putting small independent retailers out of business, they are hardly providing choice. By forcing consumers to use cars for their weekly shop, they are hardly convenient, and when we calculate the cost to the taxpayer, small farmers, our health and the environment of 'cheap food', it doesn't seem such good value. This is not just the opinion of middle class environmentalists, as the recent submission by the National Consumer Council to the 'Food Policy Commission of Food and Farming by Low Income Consumers' shows.[92]

Supermarkets are not fair competition; in fact they are exploiting you and me. They are also preventing the development of a vibrant and exciting local food economy.

Just think: supermarkets could become real market centres again owned by their local communities and producers, where farmers from the local region would sell their seasonal produce, and local producers would bring their wares. All products from further afield would be fairly traded and imported by small companies. There does not need to be exploitation in the food system.

References
[92] See Policy Commission on Food and Farming. www.cabinet-officde.gov.uk/farming