No choice but to use supermarkets – and we all pay the price

WHY do we continue to shop at supermarkets when we know that there are only a few bargains in the food section in terms of fruit and vegetables, and also knowing that they continue to pay low wages and make huge profits?

I do because I am disabled and need a car space, as I can’t walk very far.

But I also know that every time I buy my fruit and veg, because I cook and don’t buy ready meals, I am going to be ripped off  simply because they overcharge on all these products and sometimes it’s all packed on a two for one basis that single people don’t buy and if we do, because of a better price, we have to throw lots away.

If you read the supermarket label they buy massive amounts from thousands of miles away and most of it is frozen or  chilled and perhaps need another two weeks more growth in their own growing area to be at their best.

The supermarkets cover this by selling some produce that is just right to eat in the next two or three days, all at very high prices and will do larger packs that cost less that will need another six or seven days at home to ripen.

I have just purchased from a major supermarket “new” Jersey potatoes, which most people who cook will now know are grown and sold out of season and will be dearer.

The potatoes did not have the Jersey flavour and nowhere near the quality expected. I picked four medium sized potatoes which were nowhere near the size of baking potatoes.

The weight of the four was 0.475kg (or just less than one pound in weight) and the total price was £1.42. That is 36p for each potato.

I also purchased a dozen eggs (standard size pack) for £3.25 (or 27p each).

You can make a good meal with eggs, or if you bake a sponge cake or cup cakes at home they can become very expensive if the eggs are 27p each.

I wonder how many eggs the supermarket uses to bake their cup cakes which are four for one pound? They must buy eggs very cheaply.

What all this is doing to our economy and balancing the  GDP is one of our real problems which the Government  should take up with all the supermarkets.