Would you be happy to pay more for the same thing?

That’s helpful, Melanie – thanks. The word “equivalent” still makes a strong appearance in the linked article, however, and in most instances I feel “counterpart” or “same company” would be less confusing.

A clarification I would also make is that many of the major supermarkets’ local convenience stores are not in high streets [as exemplified in the article] where alternatives often abound but in more isolated locations like villages and suburbs where they have wiped out many individual traders like grocers, butchers, bakers, greengrocers, and so on, who supplied local produce at economical prices, so the convenience store customers now have to put up with almost stale “fresh produce” sold at high city prices.

This concept of “freshness” would be useful to explore. My usual supermarket sells most produce with sell by/use by dates, and is wrapped, often in a protective atmosphere, to keep it fresh. Some fruit is marked ripe and ready to eat – which it is.

I wonder how fresh independent shops produce really is? Our butcher displays meat in the window open on trays, undated. What happens to the unsold meat? I doubt it is thrown out; probably keeps reappearing until bought. Our local farm shops display pies and bread unwrapped; presumably returned to stock when unsold at the end of the day. I’ve just walked through our local market – bread and pies again unwrapped on display. A stall with fish sitting on ice in the open, unprotected; what happens to it at the end of the day – saved for the next market?

I was brought up on food from traditional greengrocers, bakers, butchers and fish shops and lived to tell the tale. Unknown freshness, undeclared contents of sausages and pies. But I would hazard a guess that supermarket food is kept better and is fresher. But we pay for that of course. I place considerable importance on the freshness and quality of food, primarily because I like to enjoy what we eat, and am prepared to pay for that.

Maybe we could investigate just how fresh different outlets are and how well looked after is the unsold stock. Maybe we would get a nice surprise?

I am sure that, in general, the national supermarkets have better food-chain management than independent shops and keep and present food responsibly to protect it and maintain its condition. Good butchers with a top hygiene rating will also maintain the highest standards; unsold meat might be safely reprocessed for human consumption and eventually goes to meat renderers.

My reference to “almost stale ‘fresh produce’ at high city prices” was in respect of things like bread, cakes, fruit, and vegetables that are exposed for sale in Tesco Express or Sainsbury’s Local stores and those of the other major supermarkets. They get just one delivery a day early in the morning and sometimes the produce looks distinctly unappealing for a range of reasons. I am satisfied that it is stored and presented safely although I worry about the way some of it is handled by other customers when it is lying in open racks or trays and there is no shopworker present to oversee it.

I must admit I prefer everything to be wrapped and sealed properly according to its characteristics and am happy to meet the cost but even in the major supermarkets we still select loose fruits and vegetables as the pre-packed ones are not always what we want or contain too many units.

The prices will also depend on the first or business class/economy class split.

I presume once fitted these jeans cannot be removed. Seems to fit the bill. 🙂

This is ripe for some ribald comments but I will confine myself to saying that I have never worn a pair of jeans in my life and don’t intend to start now. Are they making the jeans for both sexes or only for men?

In India it is the women that go to government departments for free Durex John there is a lot of male resistance there I doubt this would put off Indian women from wearing them and as the PC brigade are always telling females here to carry condoms in their handbags to cut down social diseases /pregnancy etc , I would be very interested to hear from any feminist as to why they would find it objectionable to wear them as they are always bringing up sex at every opportunity on the media and they are certainly not shy about it. I went back for a second look it didnt say if it was men only – one ( of 1000,s ) wag said they are selling in three sizes – Asian-regular and—- African .

That doesn’t exactly answer my question, Duncan, and I wasn’t enquiring whether Indian women would wear Durex brand jeans. You certainly seem to have a thing about what you call the PC Brigade. You’ve mentioned it in three different Conversations today. I must lead a sheltered life.

John-I have felt the full brunt of “violent ” feminism on many occasions just by holding doors open/ giving up a seat /helping a female park when she is having trouble doing it and much more .You certainly have led a sheltered life John – you would, not believe the foul language that comes out of some of them and they are middle class as well ! The real aristocracy I have met dont behave like that and neither does the poor working classes I cant as yet get a verified definitive answer as to whether there will be female versions , most of the comments are coming from all three social mediums in large worldwide amounts they are certainly getting a $million free advertising show.

I did like your comment about ‘helping a female park when she is having trouble doing it’; started me chuckling and wondering if you’d ever offered a man the same assistance. Up here, certainly, the field is evenly split between men and women who cannot drive, park or manoeuvre, yet still seem to have a driving licence from when they first passed their test, probably in 1938.

Most people resent offers of help when doing something they believe they’re doing very well, and research indicates that’s most drivers 🙂 I watch with horror when some attempt to park – forwards – and those that can reverse around here seem limited to around 1% of drivers.

I’m not sure it’s the ‘PC brigade’ that causes you a problem, Duncan; I suspect it’s women. And there you are not alone, my friend 🙂

Duncan – I care not for foul language irrespective of the class or sex of the utterer so you have my sympathy; it must seriously inhibit your gallant intentions. Fortunately we do not experience it in our part of the world where courtesy prevails and kindnesses are always appreciated.

From the “defensive driving” training that I have received, it is good to be able to leave a parking spacing by driving forwards, and even better if it is a “drive-through” space, so it can also be entered by driving forwards.

I hold this to be guidance on good practice, and follow it much of the time.

But there’s nothing wrong with my driving – it’s just all the other idiots on the road!

Duncan, You can hold a door open for me any time you like and you will get a thank you. You can also expect me to open a door for you, (age before beauty, scat before the shovel, etc) and I would also expect a thank you.

I would be insulted if a man thought I needed help to park though for simply being female.

Fortunately, motor manufacturers have come up with park-assist technology but I bet they have instructed their salesMEN to point out its features to prospective lady purchasers.

We have it but interestingly it only works for parallel parking. We’ve tried it for the novelty, and haven’t used it since. Both of us passed the IAM advanced tests, so we take pleasure in working on our driving, and we note points about each other all the time.

So it’s no good for backing into a car park space? That’s a bit of a mouldy chizz.

“Fortunately, motor manufacturers have come up with park-assist technology but I bet they have instructed their salesMEN to point out its features to prospective lady purchasers.”

Then again most cars – and seemingly all tradesmen’s vans – have long been fitted with “park anywhere lights”.

I presume there is a building boom in New Zealand to replace the properties being sold to the Americans.

Yes; I suspect Estate agencies sponsored Lord of the Rings…

One of the unfathomable questions is whether those in the UK with relatively vast wealth lubricate our economy or are essentially extractive. The country seems to be in awe of ostentatious opulence but I consider it an alien culture that actually does more harm than good and connects us to decadent influences. It’s probably an unstoppable tide.

I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I’ll have Alfred draft a letter for me to sign, as soon as Mrs Homeworthy has walked the dogs.