Opinion: Why can’t I quit this bad supermarket romance?
© Adam Smigielski/iStockphoto In a tongue-in-cheek agony aunt letter exchange, David Bennie imagines British farming as a spurned partner in a fraught relationship with the supermarkets.
See also: How dog field diversifications can bring in the cash on farm
About the author
Dear David
Help! I’m stuck in a toxic relationship with supermarkets.
When we first got together, I thought this was going to be great. They had photos of me all over their walls. They used to sing my praises and tell me how special I was.
But then, when things got tough between us, I noticed they started inviting in others from the far side of the planet. I’d see their country-of-origin labels hidden away, like they thought I wouldn’t notice.
Or use partial flags to display only the Union Jack part of an Aussie or Kiwi flag. It’s disgusting.
They were really into this fake farm branding, which I thought was a bit weird at the time, but went along with it because I thought it made them happy. But to be honest, the way it misleads people just made me more miserable.
They are full of false promises and I feel like they pick me up and use me whenever they want something.
They have such a wandering eye, so quick to dump me as soon as something more attractive comes along. It’s only when they are desperate, with no one else to turn to, that they start treating me good again. But it never lasts.
Nothing I do is good enough for them. Their standards are ridiculously high and I often get rejected for the slightest blemish.
Things tend to get tough financially, and they promised to support me, but I always end up at a loss.
I feel like I’m being strung along. Am I a fool for staying with them?
Yours, British Farming
Dear British Farming
Wow, that’s quite a lot of stress you’ve been put through. It’s clear they don’t really have your best interests at heart and are only focused on one thing: themselves.
They are evidently in what they regard as an “open relationship” so why not do the same? Flirt with other possibilities, pursue alternative avenues for produce, let them know they are not the only option in town.
Legislation could solve some issues (such as “fake farms”) if the Groceries Code Adjudicator – which currently has less bite than my uncle without his false teeth in – was given a set of gnashers to make supermarkets jump.
I believe consumer engagement has a big part to play. As morally bankrupt as supermarkets are, they do care for their beloved customers, or rather for their spending habits.
I wonder how consumers would react if they knew about the exploitation by their favourite supermarket? Perhaps we should shout louder about last-minute cancelled orders, late payments and farmers’ fear of retaliation.
Perhaps we should communicate how unbalanced and unfair we feel this relationship has become. The stench of corporate greed is worse than the supermarket fish counter.
As farm influencers seem to be everywhere, I would love to see more supermarkets and producers being challenged on social media about supply chain fairness.
Long-term relationships are built on mutual trust, sharing the load through hard times and allowing both parties to flourish.
The on/off affairs and race-to-the-bottom attitude have cheaply fed the UK for decades, but it’s been at farming’s cost.
Can you ever expect them to change? If I’m being realistic, I don’t think so.
Yours, David