Hugh's programme is taking affect

[madmax]

It is simply a case of profiteering. As stated, the supermarkets will charge what they think the consumer will pay. Why organic and free range costs more is a mystery to me. Status? Costs might be marginally higher but not 2 or 3x the cost!

Shirls and I buy our meat from 3 sources:
1) A butcher friend of ours - all the meat is trackable
2) The local butcher in neyland - as above
3) Mac's Meat Market - a meat wholesaler near us who source all their meat and poultry from Welsh and Irish farmers.

All are family run with lower overheads. No dyes injected or colour enhancing neon tubes glowing above the packaging.

Some of the best meat I have ever had was freshly butchered from local farms.

[hawthorns]

after watching jamie olivers programme last night we wont be buying 2 for £5 anymore.we already buy free range eggs

[hawthorns]

after watching jamie olivers programme last night we wont be buying 2 for £5 anymore.we already buy free range eggs

looks like im gonna have to rethink about buying pies next i love a pie to

[shirlthegirl43]

looks like im gonna have to rethink about buying pies next i love a pie to

Use leftover chook from your roast and chop it finely with some brocolli or asparagus (or whatever veg was left over), mix to a firm consistency with leftover gravy or white sauce (with white wine if you like). Line a pie plate with pastry, bung in the gunge, put on a lid, paint with egg or milk and bake as per pastry instructions.

[Waffler]

According to our local radio news today, the recent programmes by '2 celebrity chefs' had no effect whatsoever. Tesco apparently said they're figures have not changed this week.
However, I popped in to my local JS for 2 items this morning and checked out their chicken shelves out of interest, and the free-range and organic chickens were all gone. I have just got back from another JS where I did my weekly shop, and they too had no FR chickens, but a few organic FR, so I bought one of those. Have to confess to baulking slightly at the price: got one slightly under the weight of the 'small' regular chickens and it was nearly £8; per lb the FR organic are 60% more expensive.
The 2 JS in question are small town shops - so not the diddy convenience stores, but not one that has clothing and all that mallarky.

What I was fuming to see though was that JS seems to be doing a drive on regular chooks as they have all manner of offers on them; it will be more difficult for those on a budget to disregard the 'appealing' offers. I may well send them a strongly worded letter, and may just mention that I think the absence of FR suggests they did not prepare themselves adequately for the effects of the shows.

[shirlthegirl43]

Just been round Asda, didn't take much notice of the chook shelves but did notice a lot of chook breasts reduced to clear. Looked a bit like nobody buying at all.

[rustylady]

Sorry, not sure which store JS is. Watched Jamie's programme last night, and although I already knew the facts it did really drive home how "wrong" those poor chooks are. Bred to grow so fast their legs can't support them and yes they do have adequate food, water etc it can't be a good life. They just survive for the 39 days or whatever it is until they are ready to kill. Did anyone else notice that chicken mortality is reduced during their short life by nearly 50% in the barn system where they have more room, perches and toys? Doesn't that influence the producers to improve things, or is their financial outlay so low anyway that it doesn't make any difference.
By the way our town centre Tesco Metro had no free range chicken at all this afternoon, and no signs for free range. Only a small meat section anyway, but it was all portions and 2 for a fiver.

[johnty greentoes]

Just checked prices around the place and found that £15 a bird is a complete rip off...

Sainsbury's Organic Chicken £5.49/kg so approx £9.60/chicken
Tesco's Organic Chicken £4.49/kg so approx £7.90/chicken

[SarzWix]

Just got back from Morrisons in Skipton - their Organic, Free Range and RSPCA "Freedom Food" chickens have all sold out! The shelves were groaning with the weight of cheap chickens that haven't sold... I heard one couple, standing looking at the shelves, saying "Well, we just won't have chicken then, I'm not eating that!"

[Two_Sheds]

Fifteen quid ?
are you sure it wasn't a turkey or a goose? !!

I paid £3 a kilo for a free range one from Asda

[lozza_9]

yep £15 is alot- its from a farm called Sheepdrove and it should last us 2 meals. This is a one off, we are going shopping tomorrow to see what morrison or asda sell.

Loz

[Two_Sheds]

Good on you for supporting a local farm, but ... fifteen quid !!!

[Waffler]

Sorry Rustylady - JS is Sainsburys (J Sainsburys) - I was being lazy and couldn't be bothered to type the full name!
Think Sheepdrove is the organic farm in Lambourn, Berks - they do various meat I believe.

[yoanbob]

when we do our chooks organic free range for the table it costs us £18 per bird, but I would be expecting to pay £12 ish from a shop.

[johnty greentoes]

Have just got back from Tesco

All free range chicken completely sold out.

I think there may be a problem ahead. How will the supermarkets meet demand in the short term. This could all backfire?