… a lovely tin of whitewash!
Somehow, I just wasn’t surprised by the results of the Competition Commission’s investigation into large supermarket chains and their effects on the grocery market. Where I live in suburban south London, the cushy status enjoyed by these companies is all too apparent. You’ll shop at a supermarket or do without. It’s a terrifying thought, but I can’t think of a single “proper” butcher anywhere within a two-mile radius of my house. Or a baker (Greggs don’t count!) for that matter. There’s a decent fishmonger, and I try to buy from him as often as possible, but he’s a rare gem in a sea of flavourless pap.
Instead of going into more local detail, I’ll just redirect you to the more eloquent work of Felicity Lawrence (writing for the Guardian’s Comment Is Free site)… A grocery understatement.