To say that the majority of UK fruit and veg is awful in comparison to other countries?

[MissHoneyPenny]

Why is it so expensive and (mostly) of poor quality when compared to places like Spain and France? I understand climate obviously plays into this but even things that can be grown well here like carrots and potatoes seem poor quality unless you pay top price at a farmers market or organic store.

I shop at a range of supermarkets from Aldi to M&S and none seem to be particularly great.

Where are you shopping? The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, pork in particular. UK grass fed beef, especially Scottish, is superb.

I’m not sure I’ve been to any country which has such a large range of free range and organic sausages and I’m curious to know which country has better bacon.

Good quality meat is expensive but so it should be if animals are going to be reared in a humane manner and farmers adequately rewarded. I love red meat but restrict it to once a week as I would rather buy high quality products direct from a local producer and have it less often.

I live in the Central Valley of California, the most fertile valley in the US.
We have the most delicious fruits and vegetables and melons and nuts and avocados and beans and grapes and grains etc I’ve ever eaten in my entire life and I’m not sure what I’d do if I had to live in a place where they weren’t as good.
And yes, it’s something we take for granted, but shouldn’t ever.
The older I get the more fortunate I realise I am.

Seriously is that all you have to add to a discussion forum?

If you don't agree then explain instead of behaving like a tiresome teenager on twitter.

Cannot comment on the US but on France, you re wrong, all French supermarkets have fantastic fruit n veg stands, taking up large areas of the store, very well stocked, its hi quality and tastes great

Yes seasonal is better but personally i like to have some fruit & greens outside of the UK 's growing season that isn't frozen.

We now seem to get the dregs of the food supply chain....

Eat seasonally and British fruit and veg is delicious.

In the UK we expect food to be cheap. It's often picked not quite ripe and shipped chilled or in modified atmosphere containers to slow ripening. Varieties are chosen for yield over flavour.
People used to rave at the veg on the 'french markets' that came into town except things were at least twice bit often way more in price.
Look at your local producers, the local veg box schemes, the farm shops that actually are farm shops. Or grow some bits yourself. French beans or drawf beans are easy in a pot. You can plant now and they can last well into September.

Yeah, who cares about artichokes, radicchio, tomatoes, if you can have tasty parsnips.