With at least three of the biggest supermarkets jostling for the take-over of the supermarket chain Safeway, Friends of the Earth (FoE) today criticised the proposed deals as bad news for consumers. The environmental campaign group attacked claims by the supermarkets that the deals would mean better prices for consumers.
FoE is warning that further concentration of power in the hands of the big supermarkets will be bad news for small businesses, farmers and the environment.
In today's press release, FoE lists 10 reasons for not giving more power to the supermarkets. Friends of the Earth is writing to the Office of Fair Trading and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry calling on them to refer the proposed deals to the Competition Commission for a detailed investigation, including an assessment of the potential impact on local economies.
London, 4 Jan 2003: The Fairtrade mark, designed to reassure consumers of the ethical soundness of produce from the Third World, is to be extended in a pilot project that will help struggling organic farmers in Britain.
The symbol will be given only to produce that also meets the organic standards of the Soil Association, which started a one-year joint labelling scheme with the Fairtrade Foundation yesterday.
The UK government is to help consumers understand what constitutes a "portion" of fruit or vegetables, in a bid to encourage people to eat more healthily.
The UK Food Standards Agency recommends that people eat five portions of fruit or vegetables a day but many consumers are unclear exactly what constitutes one portion. Later this year, a trademark will appear on some foods, guaranteeing that they can be counted as one of the "five-a-day" portions.
Initially the trademark will apply to fresh and frozen produce and 100% fruit juices, but not products with added sugar, salt or fat. The latter products will be the subject of a review on how the trademark is used, which is to take place in the spring.
