Local Foods Memo: Tesco's 1,000 Mile 'Local' Scottish Chickens

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get into the truck for its 1,000-mile round trip of course.

Retail giant Tesco, the world's number three retailer and the UK's largest supermarket chain, is coming under fire from environmentalists and shoppers today in the United Kingdom (UK) for labeling chickens sold in it's stores as "local" despite the fact the birds' actually have taken a 1,000-mile round trip to be slaughtered, packaged and then transported to the grocer's stores in Scotland.

The thrust of the matter regarding the "local" labeled but well-traveled birds is that the grocery retailer is currently selling chickens in its Scotland stores that have been raised at a chicken farm in North-East Scotland, then sent 499 miles to Essex to be processed, before then being shipped back to the Scotland stores to be sold. Perhaps Tesco should change the label to "locally raised for now. Or, use another local packaging plant.

But, that seems to be the crux of the problem. According to the UK industry trade publication Meat Trades Journal, the chickens killed at the Grampian Country Foods slaughterhouse in Perthshire, Scotland (local so far) are being shipped (at least until today perhaps) to Witham in South-East Essex (499 miles away) for packaging because the regular packaging plant in Banff, Abberdeenshire (which is close to Perthshire) shut down last year. So much for outsourcing locally and then not finding another local packaging plant right away.

UK environmental groups such as Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, are accusing Tesco of a lack of full-disclosure by still labeling the birds as "local." The "green" groups' also are saying the chickens' 1,000-mile round trip--from near the Scotland stores to 499 miles away and back again--is creating unneeded extra food miles and adding to the country's already growing carbon emissions. Sounds logical to us.

Another UK environmental group, Friends of the Earth, also issued a statement today about the non-local, "local chickens." Vicki Hird (rhymes with bird), a Friends of the Earth spokesperson, said: "Consumers thinking they are buying 'greener,' local and Scottish are actually buying pretty travel-sick chicken." In all fairness (at least to the birds) chickens travel much farther than 1,000 to get to the grocery store and are still tasty. But we do get Ms. Hird's point.

Tesco, the world's third-largest retailer, defended its travel itinerary plan for the birds in a statement saying basically it didn't have any option because the local packaging plant closed and they needed to get the chickens packaged for sale at the stores. A Tesco spokesperson didn't comment on how many chickens are being sent on the 1,000-mile round trip journey However, the retailer said it hopes to have the situation solved very soon

The local Grampian Country Foods' packaging plant closed last year (about six months ago), according to Max Tooley, Tesco's technical meat manager for poultry. Tooley added that although the situation has been going on for about six months (then why still label the birds as local we wonder?) it should "hopefully be solved in about two weeks," with the pending approval of a new packaging plant at a new site nearby where the chickens are slaughtered. We're glad it will be solved in two weeks. But that could be a long two weeks if Tesco doesn't take the local label off the chickens' packaging or the shelf.

Tesco shoppers weren't very happy today upon hearing the news that the "local" birds aren't really all that local because of their travels. Consumers buy "local" foods not just because they are raised locally, but also because they are processed and packaged locally as well. In other words, one of the keys to "locally grown" is that the products don't have to travel excessive food miles to get to the stores where shoppers buy them. Local equals a lower carbon footprint.

The locavore (local foods) movement defines a locally-produced food product as one that generally comes from no more than 100 miles from where it is sold at retail and purchased at the grocery store, or elsewhere, by a consumer. This local definition includes the food product being grown, processed, packaged and distributed within that 100-mile distance. Obviously, in the case of the 1,000 mile chickens, they don't quality under that definition.

Meanwhile, the revelation about the well-traveled "local" chickens is a serious hit for Tesco. It's CEO, Sir Terry Leahy, has been arguably the most outspoken of all UK retailers on the need for the supermarket industry to reduce its carbon footprint. In fact, under a plan of Leahy's, Tesco plans to eventually label all of the food and grocery products it sells in its stores with a "carbon footprint" label.

The label, similar to nutritional labels on packaged foods, will inform the consumer where the product was produced, processed and warehoused, and how many food miles it traveled to get to the Tesco store.

Tesco in the UK also has been a major proponent among UK food retailers of buying and selling locally-grown foods in its stores, including beef, pork, poultry and other food and grocery products. Local foods is a major issue among UK consumers, not only as part of the nation's popular and fast-growing green movement, but also as a way of preserving it's shrinking farming industry.

To the latter point, the Tesco chickens are raised locally. However, to the former point, the 1,000- mile journey--to the packaging plant and back again--violates the "green" aspects of the "buy local" movement.

It seems even without their wings, these particular Scottish Tesco chickens are still well-traveled birds.

Farm-to-Food Memo: An Independent grocer's view

We are what we eat: A Boston, Mass. independent grocer talks about clean, organic and local food; sustainability, mass food production and society, and how his family market and cafe fits into the picture

Writing today at alternet.org, independent grocer Jamey Lionette says, "I am not a scientist, journalist or other specialist. I sell food. I help run a family-owned and operated neighborhood market and cafe that buys and sells predominantly local, clean and sustainable food."

In his article, Lionette, who with other family members runs Lionette's The Garden of Eden Market and the Garden of Eden Cafe, both located on Tremont Street in Boston's South End neighborhood, says "We Are What We Eat," which is the title of his piece. "I cannot speak about the reality of our food supply around most of the world," Lionette writes. "I can only speak of what is happening in the first world, where, unfortunately, only the privileged elite can choose to put real food on their dinner tables.

We believe Lionette's piece (and opinion) is an important one, especially since it comes not from a professional analyst, industry consultant, or pundit. Rather, it comes from an independent grocer, who deals with customers each and every day in his store and cafe. An independent grocer who spends much of his time buying from local growers, wholesalers and others, and has created a strong niche so that the store can not only compete against the large chain supermarkets in the region, but also can offer shoppers something more: that local touch only an independent grocer who lives and works in the neighborhood can bring when it's done well.

Lionette also discusses farming today, and how it impacts on his family's grocery store and cafe vis-a-vis his larger grocer competitors, such as Whole Foods Market, Inc., Trader Joe's, Wal-Mart and others. He further offers his opinion about the social implications of mass-production on the overall farm-to-food picture, and contrasts it with organic and local foods. But at what financial cost he asks, in discussing the prices of organic foods at retailers like Whole Foods and others.

We invite you to read Lionette's piece, which is excerpted from the book, Manifestos on the Future of Food and Seed, edited by Vandana Shiva (South End, 2007), as an independent grocer's (as well as writer's and citizen's) analysis of modern farming, food manufacturing, marketing and retailing. It also focuses on the larger economic and social implications of all of the above.

We believe the independent grocer's perspective is more important today than ever before. It's the independent who's been the innovator in food retailing. The first mover if you will. The first to merchandise organic foods, local goods, specialty products and so much more. The independent also is the backbone of the community and neighborhood. He or she is often the first merchant to put out a fund-raising canister, the first to support local groups and food drives, and the one who sustains those efforts in the neighborhood over time.

Often, when people discuss "buying local," they tend to leave out "shopping local" when it comes to their food shopping. In other words, shopping at the local independent grocer's store. How often do you here someone say: "I bought some great locally-grown vegetables at Whole Foods?'" Or, (fill-in the chain store name) offers locally-grown fruits, and I buy them every week? The point is: "eating local" folks also should think more about shopping local as well. Often supporting ones local grocer is supporting those same ideals involved in buying local foods.

We agree with some of what Lionette says in his piece and disagree with other parts. However, that's not what's important. What's key, and what we hope you walk away with after reading his piece, is his perspective on the issue, along with some new knowledge you can think about and perhaps even put to work in your day-to-day business activities.

Read the full piece, We Are What We Eat, by Jamey Lionette