Has anyone ever bought 3 cucumbers at once?

[Chromatic]

It may sound odd to many but the fact is we've not been paying the true cost of food for years. As been said every cost saving go's right back to start of the supply chain. I know many horticultural suppliers and growers who I once used are no longer around due to having to provide stuff at a loss. I've seen some of pricers they get paid and it's crazy how little it is.
Growers of salad stuff simply have either closed or delayed sowing so early crop is simply not around. Main crop is looking less common too. Trade have seen this coming for months but no one bothered to listen. Our food markets are a total mess look at chickens we basically have 3 levels of it. cheep, free range and organic. Then we've farmers being paid less price per litre of milk than bottled water. It madness we either look after growers and farmers or lose them. Food secretary matters and most just don't care. That's before we even start to deal with food poverty.



Supermarkets that stepped in provided support and paid suppliers a fair price a few months ago on longer have an issue with egg supply.
Lidi was not one them.

I see what you did there, very good!

 

[presta]

This is a gem:

View: https://twitter.com/lucysiegle/status/1629813643515666434

A customer of last resort.

And another:

View: https://twitter.com/johnsweeneyroar/status/1629759058256248832

Only 25 miles from Bakhmut

 

[gbb]

This is a gem:

View: https://twitter.com/lucysiegle/status/1629813643515666434

A customer of last resort.

And another:

View: https://twitter.com/johnsweeneyroar/status/1629759058256248832

Only 25 miles from Bakhmut

I know its in vogue to blame everything on Brexit and there may be a percentage effect, but as above, the real, main reason is supermarket practices...and the weather. We don't generally buy salad stuff from Hungary, we buy predominantly from Spain and N Africa.
The weather has always been a major factor, I remember some years ago, rains in S America effected the citrus crops quite badly, its something suppliers, who negotiate the previous year, have to deal with. Supplier do, but only with supermarkets approval, spot buy from other sources (our former employer used to spot buy from Holland), but its not an easy process.
Another example of supermarket practices, Aldi for instance would only give its suppliers a ONE month contract to supply some years ago. As the suppliers contracts and negotiations for the fruit growers happen the previous year, it made it extraordinarily precarious for suppliers to deal with them. Playing one supplier off against the other drives down prices, and as stated above, its artificially driven down prices we all pay....we all complain about the prices but they have been artificially low but, its all supermarket driven, someone else is paying the price for those former cheap prices.

 

[Scottish Scrutineer]

My local grocer has everything. No shortages there.

One problem is that, for many of us, the 'local grocer' is one or more of the big supermarkets. There are few local greengrocers on our high streets and shopping centres.

 

[Red17]

Was speaking to the local greengrocer this morning and he was saying supplies were pretty much as normal at the market he gets his veg, although prices are going up.

We have the greengrocer and 3 or 4 convenience stores locally, and all have plenty of tomatoes, peppers etc. Looks like more of a problem with the prepacked supermarket veg around here (although our local coop also has plenty of veg)

 

[Andy in Germany]

I know its in vogue to blame everything on Brexit and there may be a percentage effect, but as above, the real, main reason is supermarket practices...and the weather. We don't generally buy salad stuff from Hungary, we buy predominantly from Spain and N Africa.
The weather has always been a major factor, I remember some years ago, rains in S America effected the citrus crops quite badly, its something suppliers, who negotiate the previous year, have to deal with. Supplier do, but only with supermarkets approval, spot buy from other sources (our former employer used to spot buy from Holland), but its not an easy process.
Another example of supermarket practices, Aldi for instance would only give its suppliers a ONE month contract to supply some years ago. As the suppliers contracts and negotiations for the fruit growers happen the previous year, it made it extraordinarily precarious for suppliers to deal with them. Playing one supplier off against the other drives down prices, and as stated above, its artificially driven down prices we all pay....we all complain about the prices but they have been artificially low but, its all supermarket driven, someone else is paying the price for those former cheap prices.

The shortages in the UK are in the news here, mainly because we aren't experiencing them. The Supermarket practices and weather are a factor, but The Exit Which Must Not Be Named (outside of NACA) is unfortunately adding to this, amplifying the other issues and fragility of the system in the UK. Which to be fair was predicted back in 2016.

It's interesting that in fields I was passing today there are signs saying they're local suppliers for bakeries. I think people here are gradually becoming aware of the underlying problems and the big supermarkets are beginning to change practices if only for the PR.

 

[presta]

The Supermarket practices and weather are a factor, but The Exit Which Must Not Be Named (outside of NACA) is unfortunately adding to this

Exactly. There was a woman speaking for the growers on R4 yesterday saying that Brexit is a problem, both from the labour shortage point of view, and all the other general hassle. Supermarkets buy from the EU because labour from Eastern Europe is cheaper, and now UK growers no longer have access to the labour that once enabled them to compete.

If the weather creates a shortage of produce and a surplus of customers, the first ones to whistle for it will be the tedious high-maintenance customers who are an expensive PITA to sell to.

But they need us more than we need them, remember.
And turnips.

 

[Reynard]

Exactly. There was a woman speaking for the growers on R4 yesterday saying that Brexit is a problem, both from the labour shortage point of view, and all the other general hassle. Supermarkets buy from the EU because labour from Eastern Europe is cheaper, and now UK growers no longer have access to the labour that once enabled them to compete.

If the weather creates a shortage of produce and a surplus of customers, the first ones to whistle for it will be the tedious high-maintenance customers who are an expensive PITA to sell to.

But they need us more than we need them, remember.
And turnips.

You've forgotten the blue passports, me old bean!

I'm glad I have a good supply of canned fruit & veg in my cupboard. This was inevitably going to happen at some point, and well, it's always good to be prepared.

My stash was mighty useful during covid lockdowns. And yes, I was a Girl Guide BITD...

 

[Andy in Germany]

You've forgotten the blue passports, me old bean!

I'm glad I have a good supply of canned fruit & veg in my cupboard. This was inevitably going to happen at some point, and well, it's always good to be prepared.

My stash was mighty useful during covid lockdowns. And yes, I was a Girl Guide BITD...

Beautiful Daughter now has a blue passport, and it is a genuine benefit because I can tell which is hers without opening it.

Just saying...

 

[MontyVeda]

Can't wade through thread, but Justin King (ex JS & now M&S) explained it's to stop wholesalers swooping and buying it all up in the early morning.

I call BS on Justin King... any seller can refuse to sell anything to anyone... no special notice needed. We (one Aldi store) have been limiting purchases to wholesalers and restaurant owners since we opened some three years ago

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I call BS on Justin King... any seller can refuse to sell anything to anyone... no special notice needed. We (one Aldi store) have been limiting purchases to wholesalers and restaurant owners since we opened some three years ago

Can you explain to the hard of thinking. The fact that you have done it in an individual store since opening means JK is talking BS because exactly why?

BTW I understand the difference between a contract and an invitation to treat.

 

[gbb]

Was speaking to the local greengrocer this morning and he was saying supplies were pretty much as normal at the market he gets his veg, although prices are going up.

We have the greengrocer and 3 or 4 convenience stores locally, and all have plenty of tomatoes, peppers etc. Looks like more of a problem with the prepacked supermarket veg around here (although our local coop also has plenty of veg)

This perhaps echoes what I was saying up post, supermarkets crops tend almost exclusively to come directly or indirectly from a specific grower. Once that contract is made, the vagaries of weather, transport etc can all effect availability, they dont have much room to manoever, but equally they usually guarantee supply and price.
Markets and smaller outlets suppliers will probably buy their products from whatever is available on spot markets etc, at whatever price is the going rate, from any source or country, its a much less constricted supply chain but still can be volatile in availability and price.
Usually the supermarket will win on price, occasionally the smaller suppliers will win out because their supply chain is quite different.

 

[gbb]

co-incidentally, my wife actually brought 3 cucumbers late last week,for the first time ever, from a local fruit and veg stall.
They were 1/3 of the size of 'normal' supermarket cucumbers, and probably cost over £2 for the 3, much more expensive than buying supermarket ones.... but they're better, firmer, tastier than supermarket ones, so its a small win.

 

[Grant Fondo]

one of my favourite salads is cucumber and celery, bit of olive oil and some lemon juice. Olives and some feta cheese with a dusting of dried oregano for bling if required, but guess its pretty much a greek salad then? Seems to go so well with loads of different dishes, veggie pasta to lamb chops .... i'm getting hungry

 

[Dogtrousers]

I grew some cucumbers in my garden last year. Sort of little cucumbers/big gherkins. I got absolute loads of them, and had to pickle them. It was quite nice.

Of course I'll only be growing patriotic turnips this year.