Beer or Veggies - What Is Cheaper?

Now here’s an idea. 

How about the government make healthy food cheaper than unhealthy food.  In news this week Watchdog are asking to Ban Bad Fats called Trans-fats and that research has revealed that 40,000 of the 150,000 annual deaths are due to unhealthy eating and are preventable.  How about the government look into bringing down the price of fresh fruit, vegetables and other healthy daily requirements.  It says something when a can of beer costs around 60-70p due to the supermarket deals, yet fresh vegetables or fruit like a cabbage, a cucumber, a melon or a lettuce can cost up to £1 each.  A pack of 6 apples can cost around £1.80 yet 8 Fondant Fancies are around £1.40.  Plus if brown bread is healthier why is it more expensive than white bread?  I know I am trying my best to encourage my family to eat healthier but in one year my weekly shopping has gone up by around £20 and that’s mainly because we are buying more fruit and vegetables.  I am lucky in the respect we have two wages coming in.  I can understand why one parent families with only one income or no income can only afford to survive on junk food.

Supermarkets, Suppliers and the Government should get together to sort a solution to make us want to buy more fresh fruit and vegetables.  More offers like BOGOF and price reductions that could be subsidised by unhealthier foods like biscuits, cakes, alcohol etc, that way the supplier doesn’t lose out.  Promotions on healthy British produce to help our economy grow that could be subsidised by stuff brought in from abroad.  Signs that are bright and stand out better than the ones for unhealthy foods to encourage eyes of both children and adults to focus on them first.  Make healthy items more affordable and appealable to the consumer.  Charge more for unhealthy takeaways like McDonalds and KFC that are cooked fast, eaten fast and forgotten fast, leaving the consumer hungry and eating more than they would if taking the time to eat a healthy stew.

People have forgotten how to cook for themselves, producing a recipe sheet and tying all the ingredients needed into an offer that’s difficult to refuse could solve this problem.  It could also be educational to consumers by advising how eating it will help their body.  Simple but educational.  Make it easy, make it fun and more people will join in.

It’s ok to go around producing reports on what is killing people or how unhealthy we are but reports in the news won’t change peoples views while shopping.  They are easily forgotten or ignored.