We like to think that British values include a sense of fair play; however our food system is often deeply unfair. Low wages and high pay disparities are the norm, meaning that millions of people are locked into poverty.
Meanwhile, unfair trading practices persist, meaning insecure livelihoods for farmers and suppliers. Against this backdrop we also have major changes in the retail sector including a proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s, aggressive new players such as Amazon and rapidly growing levels of online shopping.
We set out to examine some of the causes of unfairness in our food system, looking at the pay and practices of the UK’s leading supermarkets. Using survey responses, independent studies and data sources, Sustain assessed how the UK’s 13 top supermarkets (by turnover) play fair, using three key indicators:
Sustainable Farming Campaign: Sustain encourages integration of sustainable food and farming into local, regional and national government policies.
Sustain
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Sustain advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich society and culture.
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