Tesco's organic veg boxes

[PeachesMcLean]

Am I the only one to have steam coming out of my ears when I see these in the shop? OK, perhaps I shouldn't shop at Tesco, but I just loathe these. I nearly put this in AIBU...

The box I looked at yesterday had a lemon from Italy in it, and mostly other overseas produce.

It's just so bandwagonny and still not doing it properly. I can't believe people buy them. Grrrr....

breathe

Saw these in the local one, didn't get a close look

I guess its cheaper than the delivery schemes (which we use) so bought mainly be poeple doing their best with little cash?
Shme that so much comes from overseas, becasue I was a bit that you can see what's in there before you buy- the box schemes can get a bit repetitive at times

It's just Tesco cashing in again as part of their attempt to take over the world. Don't shop there!

can I shop at Morrisons?

I just don't get it though. I understand delivery ones - they're supposed to be local and seasonal. If you're in a big supermarket wanting organic produce why not just go and buy it in the various packets, instead of having it dictated to you what you'll have that week. When the stuff in there isn't even that special.

I stopped getting the Riverford boxes because they had so much stuff from overseas. I am now trying to get local fruit, veg and meat which is not always certified organic, but often because of cost and scale.

To be honest I think people are so stuck on organic at the mo that they often overlook other factors such as airmiles and with meat, conditions of rearing.

There was an interesting article a while back in the Guardian about what was worth getting organic and what wasn't really. Also organic eggs can still be battery raised!

Didn't know Riverford used overseas stuff.

All just hype isn't it.

Shops are closed today aren't they Perhaps I need to get a grip.

I think what Riverford try to do is offer the variety that people are used to getting but at least it isn't air freighted.
Purely seasonal veg boxes are great environmentally but won't convert so many people.

I'm not being funny
I should have worded it better
If Tesco are the devils work is it because its a supermarket and they all are horrid
or Can I shop in Morrisons without guilt

All supermarkets are pants I'm afraid. Sorry, I missed your post - I wasn't ignoring you.

right ok
Well I can't cope with trying to do anything else
sorry
can't afford it either

Tesco worse than most. Even their CSR pages on their website wound me up where they gave their argument to justify putting small local businesses out of business. They acknowledged that that happens, but didn't seem too bothered about it.

I can't do anything other than supermarkets either. With so many to choose from round here, I don't know why I keep going back to Tesco! Not good for my blood pressure...

I do feel that supermarkets have a place but that actually we should try to use small local shops for things like veg and meat. Although the meat in my local butcher's is not organic it is all local, the butcher does surprise visits twice a year and the farms are only not organic as they give antibiotics if the animals are ill.

It is really important to use local greengrocers as well. Mine actually also has a market garden so grows a lot of his produce. Again not organic but that is because the expense isn't worth it for the scale of production. It used to be that all towns had greengrocers but that has changed and I think that is a real shame.

And I do use Tesco's as well sometimes when I am being too disorganised or want an easy life

I have a friend who is on a campaign to show that it is possible to live ethically on a budget. Actually, we're on a pretty severe budget.
It's hard because supermarkets have made food artificially cheap through exploiting farmers, cutting standards (particularly animal welfare), and selling processed shit. And so many people are used to this that it is hard to change.
But possible

And that totally makes me a hypocrite as i was trying to boycott it as Shirley Porter is part of it and I loathe her!

RBH, eggs which are certified Organic cannot be battery raised, they must come from organic hens with a maximum stocking density of 6 per square metre. More info here

By the way I also think tesco offering organic veg boxes is just a cynical way of cashing in. I really hope no-one gets taken in by it. Our organic veg box comes from a farm a few miles away and we eat seasonally as much as possible. Luckily the dcs don't like bananas!

My understanding of organic eggs is that it partly depends on who has certified them. The Soil Association is pretty rigourous but they are not the only certifiers. Link here

I will admit from the start that I dont know anything about all of this
BUt
surely if it being sold as an organic veg box and the veg is organic then its ok

I dont quiote get why it matters if it from overseas

They aren't saying that it's 'smallest carbon footprint, uk only, organic' is it?

I think it depends on whether you want to eat organic food for health reasons or if it is an environmental issue.

There have also been some fairly high profile incidents of so-called organic food not actually being organic! Including egg scams

oh right

I get what you're saying
It's all very confusing and hard to sort it out isn't it

Yes it is! And ultimately everyone does what is right for them. And what is affordable!

Unfortunately another problem with supermarkets is that they give us an artificial idea of prices as they manipulate them, with some things being sold at a loss as they can make up the money in another area. Obviously not something small, specialist shops are able to do.

RBH if animals are ill even organic farms can give the animals ABs (although while on ABs and for a while afterwards that particluar animals meat can not be sold as organic)

Also some chemical sprays and fertilisers can be used routinely on organic farms.... a friend of my sisters who she went to school with farms lots of organic lettuce / salad for waitrose and M&S and during random weather conditions they are allowed to use even more chemicals (than routinely allowed) etc and still call themselves organic.... and they do... and you are likely to buy them in waitrose and M&S!

A friend who is a vet said it is also to do with whether a vet gives the antibiotics or whether the farmer self-administers the same drugs.

It is something that should be so simple but has managed to get so caught up in red tape and legalese that it gets incredibly confusing.