WENDY Corum is right about the principles of the Co-operative stores. That is why I cannot believe they have resorted to 'dirty tricks'.
The support of their customers for their stand on fair trade was instrumental in other supermarkets then making gestures to be 'fair traders', albeit in a minor way.
There will be people who have no care to eradicate child labour or have no conscience about workers dying young from the chemicals sprayed on flowers grown abroad so they stay fresh to be sold here. But, thankfully, there are more people who do care, than not, and this is why the Co-operative stores have survived and will survive the likes of Tesco.
Amazingly, one of the fastest growing trends are small co-operations. The origins from the closing of village stores and greengrocers due to out of town supermarkets. A church voluntary group started buying at farm gates and wholesalers and making up potato, fruit and vegetable bags and delivering to the elderly – it grew, and has now spread to other places and with bags starting at £3 up to £18 family size. Not only is it a service to the elderly and for young parents, the ethos of supporting local, and profits going back into the community, is very much based on the Co-operative stores.
Many correspondents have blathered about more choice and cheaper goods at Tesco. No, they have to buy whatever Tesco wants them to buy and it will be products that will give them the highest return for their shareholders. I have choice; I buy my food straight from the farm and have a Four Seasons vegetable box. I do not want tasteless, plastic food – but 'live' food that has not travelled far or hung around in chillers losing the best of their nutrients.
It has been reported the supermarkets sell hens, pork and bacon from animals fed on GM foods. I can buy, here in the Forest, the same products straight from the farm where I can see the animals and what they are fed on and the flavour and the freshness are sublime.
Having followed the Cinderford and Tesco debate I did not feel I could join in the discussion as apart from odds and ends from the Co-op – I have not used a supermarket for over 20 years – but now feel I can opine as we cared for a relative (who shopped at a Tesco) post operatively and not only did we find the food tasteless and stale our bill was £7 more one week and £9.40 the next – comparing like with like shopping at Tesco.
I am happy with my lifestyle choices and would not deny anyone else their choice but most of the arguments for a Tesco at Cinderford are rather spurious it would seem.
As mentioned, I find profits going on arms, slave labour and farmers forced out of business (as happened to a family friend) or small businesses folding, repugnant, but, equally unjust is, the hard-earned money of customers bypassing their community and increasing vastly the bank balance of shareholders. – J. G. Price, Coleford.