Quote: Originally posted by Jester-Jamie on 23/2/2015
In response to the Sheffield farm. To me with such a huge supply chain it's amazing supermarkets can get it to people within 48 hours but 4! wow, if thats how things used to be done we've gone backwards.
Nowt no surer. I used to help the milkman/farmer when i was a kid. Clung to the back of his landrover, jumping off and delivering pints and gills as and when. All milked that very morning.
Very lttle wuld have been on the doorstep within 4 hours in the olden days. Only the producer/retailer.
Father used to milk herd through the 50's - 70s. Milk went to Unigate Watercombe dairy in Yeovil. Afternoon milking stayed on farm until collection next morning with the morning milking. This would have reached the dairy after morning deliveries had gone out. If the milk went to the doorstep it would be in the dairy until the following day.
Ours was fresh - straight out of the cow and home within the hour.
This idea about supermarkets cutting prices to destroy competition & then putting up prices does not make sense, ie Tesco etc build out of town supermkts then move back into town centres & open small shops to drive out small businesses there? Ok, they did that & did prices go up? No, along came Aldi/Lidl & cut them some more. To suggest all prices will suddenly double when all competition is destroyed is laughable because then there will be a gap in the market that will be filled.
This is how the market works & yes people should be obsessed with finding the cheapest, if they are then that keeps things competitive. How do you think efficient profit making businesses are run? They control costs, they shop around the world for the cheapest raw materials to maximise their profits.
Folk moan about their car/home insurance going up & having to shop around for cheaper. If we didn't do this then premiums would be double.
The reason the gas/electric market don't work is because its not clear what is the cheapest deal, so few bother to change suppliers. This needs to change so we know when we are getting the cheapest deal.
Full marks to Aldi for shaking up the retail food trade & long may they all continue. One thing for certain is that milk will continue to be produced in the UK by profit making producers.
100% agree times are changing, we all look for a bargain that's why the majority of purchases are done on line, life cost more these days the cost of property is high and is increasing, nobody works on their door step anymore so we all need 2 cars with sky high running cost (ok fuel has come down recently but has been high) and the norm is 2 workers per household, the street I live in is deserted by 9 apart from 2 houses that have stay at home wives, one husband is a barrister and one is a university professor so hardly your run of the mill jobs, wage increases have been minimal for the last 8 years with some employers taking the p### offering 0 hour contracts, life is tough for a lot of people, sorry but I cant see anything changing the consumer will continue to search out the best deals without any care for who it affects.
quote: One thing for certain is that milk will continue to be produced in the UK by profit making producers. quote.
The only people who can 'produce' milk are farms. Are you saying the milk herds are disappearing because the profits in producing milk are too high?
I wont wait for an answer, as we all know its not the case. The 'profits' are being eroded by the supermarkets - down to zero in many cases. They are wanting the milk for free almost, so they can entice customers in to spend and make them the real profits.
Some dairy farms are still making megabucks, but it is how the industry achieves the incredible yields that I dislike. Cows are kept in giant sheds and not put out on grass. It is banned in Sweden. Half of milk produced is sold in liquid form, the rest is used in other dairy and food products.
All the consumer needs to do is consume, the more they consume the better the economy of the country. The consumer does not need to worry about supply, provided there is demand there will be supply. That is all the consumer needs to concern themselves with.
If enough consumers want ethically produced milk & are prepared to pay a premium for it then that milk will be supplied. What they should not do is expect everybody to pay a premium for ethically produced milk, the market can provide milk to suit the requirements of all consumers & is doing so.
Quote: Originally posted by Billy x on 24/2/2015
All the consumer needs to do is consume, the more they consume the better the economy of the country. The consumer does not need to worry about supply, provided there is demand there will be supply. That is all the consumer needs to concern themselves with.
If enough consumers want ethically produced milk & are prepared to pay a premium for it then that milk will be supplied. What they should not do is expect everybody to pay a premium for ethically produced milk, the market can provide milk to suit the requirements of all consumers & is doing so.
In fact the consumer also needs to care. The more they consume the better the economy of the SUPPLYING country.
The consumer needs to care about what they eat, the quality, the welfare and the source.
Imported product that is selling well still provides work in this country but if you are suggesting that eventually all dairy farmers in this country will go out of business & all milk will be imported that simply won't happen, UK milk producers will just become bigger & more efficient.
Again, for those who want their food produced ethically as they see it & can afford the premium price, I ask why do they think others who cannot afford it should have to pay a premium price for their food when it can be supplied more cheaply?
I don't think anyone has questioned the role of the landowners in this. From what I understand it is generally the tenant farmers that are being squeezed and they always will be. If the price they receive goes up then so the rent increases will follow.
As Billy has pointed out - let the market do it's job. If you want to be ethical then pay more for any added value that you get, but don't expect others to line the pockets of the landowners when no extra value is being added by supermarkets just raising the prices paid.
------------- Ollie
2016
Monplaisir - Provence
Camping Les Gorges du Loup
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: price of milk
