What this article will cover:
- The top 10 food industry companies
- Before supermarkets ruled
- Why good food is important
- Why supermarkets are not good for nutritious foods
Who are the 10 companies that control the food industry?
There are around 10 companies that control the production of our food. Between them they own the majority of food labels that can be found in your supermarket.
- PepsiCo
- Nestle
- Coca-Cola
- Unilever
- Danone
- General Mills
- Kellogg’s
- Mars
- Associated British Foods
- Mondelez
Not so long ago, people used to be in control of their own food and where it came from. It was not Supermarkets that people went to but local markets with local food. Our food was farmed in way that was both beneficial to the land, animals and the consumer.
Thanks for reading and we hope you learn something you can use from this article. If you want to give back to us here at backyard-farmer.com, just click on an advert 🙂 Thanks!
Before supermarkets ruled
Vegetables & meat in Britain would come from local farms, this not only meant that the farmers processes were transparent to the customer, but also that food was easily traceable to its origin.
Pre 1950’s Britain had a ‘grow your own attitude’ towards obtaining some if not all of their dinner, largely due to the War efforts when food shortages were common.
However, from 1950 to current day, we have largely handed over our food sources to large companies and conglomerates. Contrary to local sourced foods, traceability of the products is much harder as well as the processes being far less transparent. This has resulted in mistreatment of animals, vegetables & the land they’re produced on in a variety of ways.
As large companies began buying out farms, there were many voices warning about the handing over of your food to the interests of profiteers for the very reasons we are now seeing come to light. As time has moved on it has become normal to have pre-made meals in your fridge & nearly everything covered in a layer of plastic.
Foods that have been given just enough nutrition to create a cheap product, not with enough love to keep you healthy. I believe this has been an unconscious action by society, and it is one that we need to wake up from and take back some control over.
Why is good food important?
For many people it is as if food has become entertainment. Food is your nutrition, energy and medicine. This should be grown and prepared with as much care and interest as you do crossing a road, as just like crossing a road, not paying attention could cost you your life or health.
The handing over of our food supply has also seen the depreciation of local farms, farmers, markets and market towns.
Why supermarkets are not good for nutritious foods
As companies become more focused on profit over quality they moved the vegetable & livestock production overseas, to areas with fewer animal rights and laws governing our food and how it’s grown. This in turn has resulted in a lower quality of food & therefore nutrition. Nutrition is essential to a healthy life and maintaining a strong immune system.
Another issue caused by corporate mass production is plastics & packaging. Packaging is another by-product of Corporate production. Again largely due to the financial interests of a company, cheaper packaging is sought out, usually resulting in more plastics as it is a cheap means of wrapping a product.
Of course we are all now seeing what a devastating impact has had on our planet & wildlife…. With many diseases such as neurological degenerative diseases & cancer being linked to our diet it is becoming more evident that we need to start taking more care of what we put into our bodies, we are after all, what we eat.
Last but not least, there is the carbon footprint. At such a pivotal point in our history it is important to point out the miles of travel these products have to make to make it to your supermarket shelf.
After the farming and raising of livestock overseas in terrible conditions, or with pesticides that are illegal in the EU, packaged in factories with little human rights, the products then need to be brought back to us, the consumer. This is done via plane, boat and truck clocking in huge Carbon footprints as it makes its way back.
Adding this factor on top of what was already discussed, it is easy to see how the current model is not sustainable and needs to change. One way we can all help is by taking back some responsibility for what you eat and where it comes from. Even if you do not have the space or time to grow some food, you can help by making more ethical choices on your food consumption.
Did you know?
Chickens have great memories, they can remember the faces of up to 100 different people and animals!
Article Resources
Photo by Amina Filkins from Pexels
