and supermarket chains preferred not to do the actual packaging. This was done for them at the farm or factory and their own particular brand names added to the packaging to make the customer think it was specially produced for that outlet. If the truth be known, there is little or no difference in any of the mass marketed products excepting the deceptive brand packaging - and the relative pricing structures. Smaller shops were always trying to compete and so they would try to buy bulk supplies and re-package to suit customers' needs. This only added to their labour costs so they lost their competitive edge anyway. But recently the situation has reversed somewhat and the large chains often buy bulk goods and re-package on site to create even higher profits and the small businesses have moved over to pre-packaged lines to save them time and money. In retailing it's a bit of a Catch-22! The big shops have quick turnover and can therefore boast fresher produce. The smaller business may have cobwebs on some items before they get sold. "Shelf life", "use-by dates" and "best-before dates" are a relatively new phenomenon stemming from the need for processed foods to be consumed before "going off". Prior to compulsory labelling legislation, producers and retailers were trusted to provide fresh, unadulterated foods. Consumers were able to use their 5 senses to judge a product's quality. Retailing ethics were monitored by Health Department inspectors. But somebody changed the "truth-in-packing-and-labelling" system and it became the producer and / or processor's responsibility thereby leaving the monitoring process to the consumer. Hmmm … duped again!
   Therefore at this stage of the food chain, we have much to become educated about and there are many ways in which we can strive to change things. There are alternatives to the victim mentality of consumerism which has become fashionable these days, and these will be outlined later in the section on "Creating Changes".
   The activity of shopping is an important part of one's eating connection. Having a prepared shopping list rather than impulse buying, along with awareness of contents, origin, freshness and variety of the product can greatly improve the quality of your food intake. And it is here that one has the choice to exercise not just the personal choices but also social choices for the better. When shopping, the consumer has an opportunity to send messages to the powers-that-be about what they want and don't want from their

shops, rather than just seeing themselves as a victim of supermarket policies. Patronising certain shops because of their produce and service should be done thoughtfully. All these factors will flow over into your meals and your body at later stages. If you don't like a shop or a proprietor, then don't take their "energy" home in your food - no matter what the price.
   Many people I know hate supermarket shopping. They dread the impending trip, resent the sensory bombardment of it all, and always feel dissatisfied with what they've bought. This negativity will be "cooked into your food". If this profile fits you, try to find other ways, other places to shop. You watch - just a few slight changes in your shopping routine will greatly improve your zest for cooking as well as the taste of your food.
   Within that old food chain, consider the storage of food in your home before even starting to cook it. Think about how many stages of the present day food chain involve storage. Imported foods may be at sea and on the docks months before going to the wholesalers. The farmer may store the food for a couple of days before the transportation gets it away to the markets. A lot of fresh produce is now kept in cold storage for months after the picking season, firstly to prevent saturating the market and cheapening the in-season price and also to release it onto the market at inflated prices when those goods are out of season. This Controlled Atmosphere storage - humidity regulated refrigeration where the natural gasses which fruit and vegetables produce themselves as they ripen naturally outside in the sunlight is drawn out under vacuum - is very expensive. Six months later, the other gases are then pumped back in to colour the surface of the fruit just prior to release in the shops. Ah ha! So that's why they look so ripe but taste so terrible! This adds to your cost and the environmental costs. Then there may be additional storage at the markets or at the distributor's warehouse for many months before a shop will order and have its supplies delivered. Retailers may buy in bulk to save money, and therefore many foods are kept in the storeroom or on the shelves for ages. Then of course we have our own home storage. How often have you been through the cupboards and found half empty packets of things opened months before, which have gone stale or are full of weevils?
   Pre-packaging has supposedly allowed us much longer shelf life for the pantry and the deep freezer, but is this really such a blessing? Is it really the