In our supermarkets today we are overwhelmed with choice. There are so many different ingredients offered on the shelves: both raw and processed. We are bombarded with adverts from the sellers in store, with leaflets or social media posts, and on TV promoting different branded 
or own brand products. How do you choose?
As an Eco church we are trying to remember the acronym L.O.A.F.
· Locally Produced
· Organic: or at least produced in a sustainable way;
· Animal Welfare: with good standards:
· Fairly traded: so producers are paid fairly for their work
By keeping these things in mind we can still enjoy the food we like, but we will have thought about the cost to people and the planet who produce our food. Has this fruit or piece of meat incurred hundreds of food miles or been subject to chemicals and hormones to make it grow?
Were the people who physically produced and transported our food paid fairly for their work by the retailer we have bought from?
Has producing this food harmed the environment in any way -by polluting the water, damaging the soil or creating waste?
It is very difficult to keep up to date on all the different product labelling but: You can make a choice by looking for logos with certified standards.
You can choose to buy from a trusted local trader who can tell you the provenance i.e. which farm it came from. You can choose to buy from an organisation with a published policy on how they treat their employees and those of their suppliers; e.g. recognising trades unions, paying a living wage and benefits.
The Co-op, established locally in Rochdale in 1844, remains one of the most ethical suppliers, with a democratic basis and a pledge to work for the benefit of its members. It has a firm commitment to reducing its activities which have an impact on the planet, now offers recycling of soft plastic and is one of the greatest stockists of Fairtrade products. Why not find out if the supermarket you use has similar ethics and policies?
Click the image below to find out more about fairtrade
