Shopping Locally

Supermarkets have enormous influence over the animal welfare standards used to produce the meat, milk and eggs they sell. The vast majority of fresh animal produce in major supermarkets is sold under company own labels, where they have direct control over how the animals are reared and slaughtered (CIWF, 2002). It should be noted that as a result of supermarket buying power, which drives down prices paid to suppliers, farmers are expected to work to impossibly small margins. In many cases they have no option but to intensify production in order to try and cover their costs. In addition, many of the big supermarkets have forced farmers into direct supply contracts via favoured slaughterhouses. The decline in the number of slaughterhouses and livestock markets means that animals must often travel long distances by truck to be slaughtered. This capture and control of the whole food supply chain by the supermarkets is a major contributor to poor animal welfare. Church Farm poultry is slaughtered at the farm and we use two small, local abattoirs for our beef, pork and lamb. Being local reduces the distance live animals have to travel thereby minimising stress, reducing food miles and contributing to the rural economy (after all every little helps)…. Source: http://www.tescopoly.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=385&Itemid=192