Deceiving the consumer

[ollie989898]

In which case, surely it won't be labelled as local?

Local as in, 'from the South West', not a place just 10 miles down the road.

 

[Av Gorritt]

Well any farmers markets i have seen a usually small businesses selling bought in fish, bought in ingredient pies and pasties and nicnaks.
There are some farmers . But majority aren't.

Many "Farm shops " likewise

 

[Ball acre]

What the fudge? You're kidding me?

I wish I was. Don't take my word for it. The Dorset based suppliers name is clearly on the packet. I called them and asked where the bacon had come from. Without hesitation the lady said that all their product comes from Holland. People wonder why pigs struggle in the UK.

 

[Av Gorritt]

Many years back , we had a number of battery hens . We had a customer who used to take 3 or 4 cases a week . He had a small hen-pen at the side of the local cricket club car park , with about 20 old hens . He used to have a sign up "Eggs for sale " by his gate and when buyers called he would say , "I'll just see what we have " and go into the shed where he had our eggs , find enough to satisfy the customer and come out with them . Everybody happy .

 

[delilah]

Well any farmers markets i have seen a usually small businesses selling bought in fish, bought in ingredient pies and pasties and nicnaks.
There are some farmers . But majority aren't.

I reckon only 25% of our stallholders will have a cph number. Which is about right; we cannot live on wheat and osr alone.
The phrase 'farmers market', unlike 'organic', has no definition in law. We found this out some years ago when tried unsuccessfully to challenge Heinz when they launched a 'farmers market soup'.
For sure, they are essentially local produce markets, just the latest variation on a theme that has sustained communities in a sustainable manner for centuries. If I was going to get uppity about the use of the word 'farm', it would be the likes of farm foods, a poor mans Iceland, no provenance whatsoever.
My main point, which I made earlier but always enjoy repeating, is that the people who are most committed to paying a fair price for their food are members of environmental organisations, who understand that supporting their local farmers is central to protecting the environment. The way they are ridiculed by many on here, we really don't deserve their support.

 

[multi power]

I reckon a few folk in NI could tell you different.

Northern Ireland isn't in the EU, still in the single market, but not the EU

 

[Bongodog]

I would have picked up the packets, read the line that mentions added water and out them down again, I refuse to pay good money for tap water, especially as it forms a white scummy puddle in the pan.

As to much of the farmers market stuff, my local butcher will do cutting and packing, he said once that much of the meat they handle for farmers market clients would never be allowed into their counter as they have standards !!
Gingham tablecloth, white coat, straw hat and watch the punters open their purses.
Our local farm shop had a visit from the various jam/chutney suppliers when it 1st opened, offering them their own labels if they ordered a minimum amount, free display dresser etc. They couldn't understand why a fruit farm might have plenty of spare fruit to make jam themselves and want to sell proper home made produce.