Will we soon buy cheap foreign imports or has Covid19 helped us make better food choices?

It looks like we may soon find cheap, low grade foods on supermarket shelves once we have left the EU and been bullied by Trump to take chlorinated chicken and industrially produced ‘meats’.

Or will the new, ‘post Covid19 consumer’ avoid these nasties and opt for quality ingredients to cook healthy, real, food?

Unfortunately, it looks like the bill to prevent the import of food produced to lower standards of food, animal welfare and environment than allowed in the UK will be defeated.

Unfortunately, because the government is wrong and once again is displaying their narrow minded belief in the view ‘capitalism will fix everything’.

It seems obvious to us that market forces will not set a fair price for products where there are different regulations for similar products from different countries. Our UK chicken, pork and beef producers for instance can’t compete on price if they are prohibited from rearing animals in the same way as USA ‘farm/corporations’.

Surely this means that if the animal welfare standards are illegal in the UK then those food products should also be illegal? Or the products should be clearly labelled and a duty added to align prices? The proceeds could then be paid to our farmers.

Perhaps Covid 19 will make this unnecessary? It seems lockdown has caused people to take more care to buy the right food and millions have discovered, and reconnected with, their local food producers, judging by the huge increase in visits to our Local Food Map.

Likewise with time at home, the internet, and cookery on TV, people have also discovered cooking, and realised that it is not only easier than they thought, but fun.

They can cook a tastier burger, pizza, or curry than the local takeaway and save money in the process. (Sorry if this means less jobs!)

This change has enabled people to realise that local is best. They can chose environmentally responsible high welfare food because they see evidence of production practices and can ask questions. Buying direct and short supply chains means lower prices and the discovery that local food can be cheaper than the supermarket. Middle men’s charges can be avoided and there’s no clever marketing and end of aisle ‘specials’ to influence wrong choices.

Many people have also discovered that working from home is more productive and thousands of businesses are opting to cut office space and allow staff to avoid commuting and set up their home office.

If this is you or you have switched, brilliant – you are an early adopter of a better way of living.

Please share your knowledge by telling people about BigBarn, and our;

– Local Food Map to find better, environmentally friendly, high animal welfare, fresh, local food
– MarketPlace, the ‘Amazon’ of artisan and local food, to buy a huge range of great food online
– KIS Cookery video channel to find and share easy recipe videos. You could even add a video and perhaps become the next famous chef?
– Crop for the Shop for your local school or to earn from your garden or window box

And soon; CookShare, where you can be promoted to run courses locally to earn a little money and share your foodie skills.

If we all switched to local food as well as growing, cooking, and sharing, not just food, but also cooking and food knowledge, we could build a much healthier, wealthier Britain, both through reduced imports and reduced NHS spend.

We must not follow the USA where 40% of food is wasted and the food system is effectively bankrupting the health system.

BigBarn is a Community Interest Company effectively owned by everyone using our services. Not Venture Capitalists. So please use our services or register to be kept informed on joining in and building your more sustainable, inclusive, local food community.