Supermarket protests 😅

[Mc115reed]

What sort of impact do you think you had?

didn’t know anything was happening to be honest!

Probably none what so ever … but tesco had employed a private security firm to bring in atleast 15 extra security guards, they’d also set up Harris fencing across the entrances where the public highways ended and the private land started but weren’t fast enough too close the gates no wagons entered or exited the site for 3hours and when we did move out of the way too let them in the industrial estate was gridlocked so if nothing else we cost them a lot of money tonight … police inspector that took charge said we needed another 20-30 people there too make it that they couldn’t start arresting us really so we had too move out of the way before we got arrested

 

[DaveGrohl]

It's not the farmers that's at fault here, all they want is a decent price from the supermarkets. It's the supermarkets that pay them a poor price for their products and then sell them of for huge profits. They need to pay farmers more without passing it on to the consumer but that won't happen, if they did pay farmers more then they would increase prices in supermarkets to make even greater profits and have the brass neck to tell the public that its farmers fault.

We’ve been talking about this since the internet was a thing. Long before in fact. It remains true, but no one has yet come up with an answer. Tbc I would like an answer. Supermarkets don’t exist without farmers. Trouble is, the farmers don’t have to be British, and there lies the problem.

Have you heard today about the Activision deal being waved through? The entirety of UK farming doesn’t hold a candle to this deal. Remember when Milk Marque was disbanded because "it was anti-competitive"? How big is Arla now? No one actually gives a fekk.

Sorry, but there it is. No, it isn’t right. Have a look around. Welcome to 2023.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Probably none what so ever … but tesco had employed a private security firm to bring in atleast 15 extra security guards, they’d also set up Harris fencing across the entrances where the public highways ended and the private land started but weren’t fast enough too close the gates no wagons entered or exited the site for 3hours and when we did move out of the way too let them in the industrial estate was gridlocked so if nothing else we cost them a lot of money tonight … police inspector that took charge said we needed another 20-30 people there too make it that they couldn’t start arresting us really so we had too move out of the way before we got arrested

I guess they only have so much space in the cells and when that’s full, where do they put any others arrested.
And it won’t be just about the protest, Friday night, bound to be some drunks and quite possibly some violence, what would they do with them all if the cells were full of farmers.
Maybe the copper was bluffing, sounds like he persuaded you to move on without any arrests. Of course you could return one day with more people but maybe ow they know you’re serious Tesco or the police will be better prepared next time.
As always, only one way to find out………….next time

 

[Mc115reed]

I guess they only have so much space in the cells and when that’s full, where do they put any others arrested.
And it won’t be just about the protest, Friday night, bound to be some drunks and quite possibly some violence, what would they do with them all if the cells were full of farmers.
Maybe the copper was bluffing, sounds like he persuaded you to move on without any arrests. Of course you could return one day with more people but maybe ow they know you’re serious Tesco or the police will be better prepared next time.
As always, only one way to find out………….next time

To be fair the police were pretty sound and did give us some pretty good infomation on how too avoid being arrested next time while still having the same affect.. you need at-least 3 protestors to 1 copper in attendance and they’re not allowed too try and move you on.. if your going too block the entrances too the distribution centres use something your willing too have the police impounded so a scrap cultivator you don’t mind never seeing again…

 

[kiwi pom]

I can't really see how blocking an RDC is going to do much really, it's not like you're going to run the stores out of food.
The only real way is to get together with processors and all refuse to supply until contracts were fair and that's never going to happen.

 

[delilah]

We’ve been talking about this since the internet was a thing. Long before in fact. It remains true, but no one has yet come up with an answer.

Tbf they have, but nobody within UK ag has listened, because UK ag has consistently seen the lentil knitters as the enemy.

Every journey starts with a first step.

"We need to learn from nature. In nature there isn't uniformity, but rather there is diversity. We have allowed our food system to go down a dead end road of ever fewer producers, ever fewer processors and ever fewer retailers. We as an industry have been complicit in this. We acknowledge our failures in supporting a policy of fewer farmers and greater food miles. We will now work with our allies in the environmental and social justice movement to bring about change. We will explain to Government the benefits of a more diverse food system, and lobby hard for the necessary measures"

Until UK ag says that, and works to achieve it, then the job is f@cked for most on here.

 

[mf7480]

To be fair the police were pretty sound and did give us some pretty good infomation on how too avoid being arrested next time while still having the same affect.. you need at-least 3 protestors to 1 copper in attendance and they’re not allowed too try and move you on.. if your going too block the entrances too the distribution centres use something your willing too have the police impounded so a scrap cultivator you don’t mind never seeing again…

I’m a little confused at the anger with supermarkets, they’re all at the top of the league tables? For example Tesco who you were picketing last night are paying 42.7ppl which is a fair milk price in the current climate? At the end of the day we all need a mechanism to get our milk to customers and like it or not the public now more than ever are relying on supermarkets due to their very good value delivery service.

As others have said, you need a unified voice of what you want from the pickets. ‘Supermarkets are arseholes’ probably isn’t going to cut it.

 

[Mc115reed]

I’m a little confused at the anger with supermarkets, they’re all at the top of the league tables? For example Tesco who you were picketing last night are paying 42.7ppl which is a fair milk price in the current climate? At the end of the day we all need a mechanism to get our milk to customers and like it or not the public now more than ever are relying on supermarkets due to their very good value delivery service.

As others have said, you need a unified voice of what you want from the pickets. ‘Supermarkets are arseholes’ probably isn’t going to cut it.

Oh I do appologise I didn’t realise that the only f**king thing Tesco sold was milk and dairy farmers are all that matters? .
If you read the articles and visit the proud to farm tiktok page it’s been said several times what is wanted is the supermarkets too stop taking such a massive cut of the profits and share some out a bit… they’ve raised all the food prices because the cost of production has gone up but yet the prices we’ve been getting has been the same for the last 2-3 years, the only thing that’s gone up is there profits

 

[mf7480]

Oh I do appologise I didn’t realise that the only f**king thing Tesco sold was milk and dairy farmers are all that matters? .
If you read the articles and visit the proud to farm tiktok page it’s been said several times what is wanted is the supermarkets too stop taking such a massive cut of the profits and share some out a bit… they’ve raised all the food prices because the cost of production has gone up but yet the prices we’ve been getting has been the same for the last 2-3 years, the only thing that’s gone up is there profits

Apologies- short sighted assumption it was to do with milk

 

[Hanspree]

It’s not just the price the supermarkets pay it’s all the hoops we have to jump through to get there. The only winners I think are the likes of Kite and Promar, the supermarkets dont know what their doing so the consultants must be laughing because their getting paid to put all the pressure on farmers. The problem is farmers won’t stick together they just slacken their belts and bend over to get shafted.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Oh I do appologise I didn’t realise that the only f**king thing Tesco sold was milk and dairy farmers are all that matters? .
If you read the articles and visit the proud to farm tiktok page it’s been said several times what is wanted is the supermarkets too stop taking such a massive cut of the profits and share some out a bit… they’ve raised all the food prices because the cost of production has gone up but yet the prices we’ve been getting has been the same for the last 2-3 years, the only thing that’s gone up is there profits

Even with milk, it’s only the liquid milk that gets the Tesco price as far as I’m aware. Do they ensure that milk going into cheese, butter, yoghurts or any other products get the “cost of production “ lsame as the liquid milk?
Tesco milk price quoted up thread as 42.7 p, this will be on farms that have had some of the highest milk prices over quite a number of years, and as such ought to have had enough cash to be able to re invest, presumably in efficient set ups so ought to be able to produce milk as cheaply as anyone

 

[Mc115reed]

Apologies- short sighted assumption it was to do with milk

Don’t think there was a single dairy farmer with us last night.. from what I could make out there was beef, arable, sheep and our local Nfu rep .. I’m not a big Nfu man can’t stand them but atleast he turned out to support … we probably achieved nothing more than starting a lot of conversation but we certainly achieved more than if we’d stayed at home

 

[Birdlipper]

Don’t think there was a single dairy farmer with us last night.. from what I could make out there was beef, arable, sheep and our local Nfu rep .. I’m not a big Nfu man can’t stand them but atleast he turned out to support … we probably achieved nothing more than starting a lot of conversation but we certainly achieved more than if we’d stayed at home

So no one who actually supplies a supermarket? All sectors which have to be processed. How does the fairness campaign apply to Dunbia, Frontier etc who actually hand over money to farmers?

 

[Chae1]

Don’t think there was a single dairy farmer with us last night.. from what I could make out there was beef, arable, sheep and our local Nfu rep .. I’m not a big Nfu man can’t stand them but atleast he turned out to support … we probably achieved nothing more than starting a lot of conversation but we certainly achieved more than if we’d stayed at home

I don't understand why the public aren't kicking.

In my opinion it's them that are getting ripped off the most.

Producers aren't getting a lot more for there products. As a beef farmer I have to hold my hands up and say we are at the moment. Slaughterhouse we supply, supplies Tesco.

 

[delilah]

Even with milk, it’s only the liquid milk that gets the Tesco price as far as I’m aware. Do they ensure that milk going into cheese, butter, yoghurts or any other products get the “cost of production “ lsame as the liquid milk?

Is it even all of the liquid milk ? I had always assumed there were a number of farmers on a contract, so that Tesco have some poster boys and girls, but they topped up their requirements from the open market ? Happy to be corrected.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Is it even all of the liquid milk ? I had always assumed there were a number of farmers on a contract, so that Tesco have some poster boys and girls, but they topped up their requirements from the open market ? Happy to be corrected.

I think it’s any milk that carries the Tesco label/brand but as I’ve only set foot in a Tescos once in my life I’m not entirely sure what range of milk they sell but I’m guessing that something like cravendale (whatever that is, as a dairy farmer I drink milk from the tank) wouldn’t be covered by their cop pricing as I think it’s an Arla product .wether there are other milks that fall outside the definition of Tesco milk I haven’t a clue

 

[Princess Pooper]

I’m a little confused at the anger with supermarkets, they’re all at the top of the league tables? For example Tesco who you were picketing last night are paying 42.7ppl which is a fair milk price in the current climate? At the end of the day we all need a mechanism to get our milk to customers and like it or not the public now more than ever are relying on supermarkets due to their very good value delivery service.

As others have said, you need a unified voice of what you want from the pickets. ‘Supermarkets are arseholes’ probably isn’t going to cut it.

Why does everyone assume that supermarkets only sell liquid milk? They sell cheese, yoghurt etc and the farmers supplying those dairies don't get a special price, yet we are having to do more and more as the supermarkets are demanding it. We already have to do the green red tractor type stuff, carbon footprinting etc no price increase.

 

[Princess Pooper]

My husband and I spent many many hours in the late night/early hours outside supermarket distribution centres and milk processors back in the late 90's and early noughties with FFA. The camaraderie is great and yes there were noticeable gaps on some shelves the next day (I checked our local stores) but it's a tough call finishing milking at 7pm, getting to a depot by 9 pm, leaving at 2 am to then get home and be up to milk again at 6 am. We even went when we had a holiday cottage for a week on a Derbyshire dairy farm and discovered the owners were 'out' that night. They took us up into Cheshire, bloody scarey being driven back though as I reckon the driver was nodding off at the wheel. We hit lots of the depots around Lutterworth/Nuneaton and as far up as Doncaster and across into Staffordshire.

 

[serf]

Here's Mcreed and Co causing grief ...

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

[upnortheast]

My husband and I spent many many hours in the late night/early hours outside supermarket distribution centres and milk processors back in the late 90's and early noughties with FFA. The camaraderie is great and yes there were noticeable gaps on some shelves the next day (I checked our local stores) but it's a tough call finishing milking at 7pm, getting to a depot by 9 pm, leaving at 2 am to then get home and be up to milk again at 6 am. We even went when we had a holiday cottage for a week on a Derbyshire dairy farm and discovered the owners were 'out' that night. They took us up into Cheshire, bloody scarey being driven back though as I reckon the driver was nodding off at the wheel. We hit lots of the depots around Lutterworth/Nuneaton and as far up as Doncaster and across into Staffordshire.

Yes, we spent some late nights in Yorkshire about then.
We were driving back up the A1 after midnight, discussing how this was no way to run a business.
That`s when we decided that processing / bottling our own milk was the way forward.
Fortunatly with a bit of luck & a lot of hard work it paid off