Anyone notice food quality declining really badly?

[heartbroken22]

Just had a block of cheese go off that would have normally lasted a lot longer. Didn't do anything different. But might have to change supermarkets now.

Yes, started noticing this about ten years ago. The first, for us, was bread which became increasingly insubstantial. After that, sausages that once been very tasty became more like they were made of 'pink slime' - too much salt, not enough seasoning, terrible texture. Malt loaf no longer tastes of much and has less fruit in it. Fruit and veg go off far more quickly than they used to. Again and again I look at what's on offer and think 'I'm not eating that!'. I grew up being fed an appalling diet of junk and I'm damned if I'm returning to it.

I'm in the position of being able to make a lot of stuff myself, so do a lot of that. We're lucky to have access to someone's orchard so I make and freeze fruit compote. We grow what we can at home. It's like living in the past, like my grandparents would have done, but I don't know what else to do.

Yes, we've noticed this and I'm considering trying a local veg box to see if it's better.

I agree that a lot of supermarket cheddar is terrible at the moment too.

I've not been able to buy decent nectarines from Sainsburys or Tesco for over a year (well before BB dates were removed) Described as Ripe and ready - on the outside they would be rock hard and inside near the stone - totally rotten. I returned some to Tesco with a note explaining this and I didn't even get an apology never mind a refund

No, but I don't buy supermarket veg or meat. Luckily have some good outlets - local veg shops, markets etc We grow a lot (cauli and leeks at the moment, with still own potatoes, onions etc), and have some others in freezer.
I have zero food waste apart from veg peelings which we compost, and a few bones every now and then.

I'm starting to use the market stall on Saturday more and more.

I was saying this just yesterday. The fruit in tesco is appalling, I handed a punnet of strawberries to a member of staff as there were already strawberries inside that were mouldy. The dates on things such as Hummus give me the rage. You have to be so careful and look at the dates on everything. There were piles of red pepper hummus yesterday but I had to go right to the back to find one that didnt have the next days date on it (not so long ago products with the next days date on them would have been reduced).

Yes, this really bugs me too. I've actually gone back to eating fish and occasionally chicken now because I cannot get decent vegetarian anymore.

No. Not noticed any change in fresh food quality at all. Packaged/processed has shrunk or become bland, but that's because the regulations around quality and health are strict so we're not allowed flavour anymore.

Aldi is 100% the worst for this: their prices have rocketed and their sizes have shrunk significantly. It's not in any way cheaper than the 'big' supermarkets anymore. I'm sticking to Sainsbury's and M&S because they are both cheaper and better quality.

I was in Italy recently and the standard of food there compared to the UK at the moment was astonishing, particularly the produce but everything really.

It has always been better but the difference these days is stark.

The UK have really kicked themselves with Brexit. It must be the stupidest act of self harm a country has ever done.

Bread started to go downhill in the 90's when soya flour was added. It is now replaced with chickpea flour which it probably why people have noticed they are bloating. I now buy very little bread due to diet and use about 3 slices per week. I do make spelt soda bread because it is easy, but not for myself.

Agreed. I can't remember the last time that I haven't had to throw away at least one or two potatoes from a bag of potatoes because of blight/rotten bits found inside once it's been peeled & chopped. I've seen some very sad/wilted looking veg on the shelves, and it used to be that if something went out of date that day it would be reduced down to at least half price if not 5p or 10p but now they only knock say 10p off. What they do with it if it doesn't sell I don't know - local food parcels maybe? I've also seen punnets of berries with a mouldy one or two inside for sale, and of course prices are higher than ever...

Our local Lidl has had an entire stock of berries with mould on, presumably hoping that if they leave them there people won't notice and will buy them. It was around then that I stopped using Lidl for more than the odd item if I was nearby. Aside from the stuff not lasting. That was way before Covid and Brexit though, always found the fresh stuff didn't last, fish was off when it was opened, the day after purchase, there was only so much waste I could deal with.

What worries me is that people will bypass fruit and vegetables and reduce their consumption resulting in more cancers and illness long term. I know I have been buying less and less.

Yep, I’ve noticed this too. Even in the fridge they’re going slimy within a couple of days.

We’ve not had this issue. Aldi quality hasn’t changed, but availability has!

Yep, the only place we find fruit and veg lasting from atm is Tesco, and we’ve stopped buying the stuff that really doesn’t travel (raspberries) can’t get decent avocados or stone fruits that ripen properly. Use by dates are usually v near but at least tesco delivery call this out when they pack it

also noticing massive amounts of shrinkflation across all goods, the only thing not shrinking is the price

Tesco deli meats have declined in quality. My 8 year old noticed immediately.

Wonky fruit and veg is now not seen as a bad thing and that's a good thing, but the number of damaged fruit and veg as a result of poor handling and storage is definitely rising. Potatoes and onions the quality started to decline about 3 or 4 years ago, it was really noticeable. Now even the premium/finest packs will have disfigured items. Potatoes are cut/bruised, onions go over quicker - I think they're being over-chilled in storage.

With some own-brand items I've noticed the quality band has been 'adjusted', the mid-range product is now very often the same as the value product in a different packaging and size - which may be why cheese isn't always the same. Cheaper ingredients/processes to give the same/very similar flavour but not perhaps the same functional qualities.

I always seem to notice this whenever I go to a Mediterranean supermarket and they have an aisle stocked with beautifully fresh fruit and vegetables, another aisle full of local cheeses and breads, a deli counter with juicy olives and good quality meats etc.

Then I come back to the UK and I'm constantly trying to find the bag with the longest date or the least sad/wet looking potatoes or carrots in. And of course the price of this has increased because why not😣

Can’t say I’ve noticed. But I do look carefully at fruit and veg, buy local/in season where possible, and go for loose rather than packaged - if available.

This is happening with gluten free food - much of it has become vegan too. People with coeliac disease have a hard enough time finding food that they can eat without being forced to eat vegan too!

@DreamingofGinoclock the packing code is often a disguised date. If you look at several packs you can usually work out which should be the freshest.

I think the importing delays due to Brexit initially caused the quality of produce to decline as it takes longer to get into the U.K. so freshness is not what it was.

Companies then responded by eliminating best before dates, so they can dump old produce on the grocery shops who can then dump it on customers as a money saving way to keep their profit margins healthy.

It’s literally become a game of hot potato.

It's joyous if you have gluten and soya allergy 🙄

Thanks 😊👍