Search

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Even <a href="https://endingloneliness.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Ending-Loneliness-Together-in-Australia_Nov20.pdf">before COVID-19</a>, <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/understanding-and-defining-loneliness-and-social-isolation">social isolation and loneliness</a> were all too common across the community. Living among millions of other people is no comfort for people in cities, where the pace of life is often hectic, and technology and digitisation often limit, rather than help with, social interaction. The pandemic <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/amp-amp0001005.pdf">amplified these problems</a>. In its wake, more of us report we’re lonely. For some, a weekly shopping trip may be the only chance to interact with others. A supermarket chain in the Netherlands is helping to combat loneliness with so-called “slow” checkouts where chatting is encouraged. Could a similar approach work here? <h2>We’re getting lonelier</h2> Around a third of Australians report feeling lonely. <a href="https://lonelinessawarenessweek.com.au/download/512/">One in six</a> experience severe loneliness. According to the annual Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (<a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda/publications/hilda-statistical-reports">HILDA</a>) Survey, people <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">aged 15 to 24</a> report the greatest increase in social isolation over the past 20 years and the highest rates of loneliness. Another <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-14/middle-aged-men-experiencing-high-level-loneliness/102563492">Australian survey</a> found men aged 35 to 49 had the highest levels of loneliness. Loneliness and social isolation are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">not the same</a>. Social isolation is a matter of how often we have contact with friends, family and others, which can be measured. Loneliness is more subjective. It describes how we feel about the “quality” of our interactions with others. Technology is <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/live-long-and-prosper/202210/technology-use-loneliness-and-isolation#:%7E:text=Technology%20compulsion%20might%20lead%20to,disconnection%20and%20reduce%20well%2Dbeing.">contributing</a> to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-17/social-media-work-hours-cost-of-living-rising-loneliness/102563666">high rates of loneliness</a>. Instead of meaningful face-to-face interactions, many of us now rely on social media, phone apps and video calls to socialise. We’re also working longer hours, often at home. And due to the cost of living, many of us are choosing to stay home and save money, rather than eat out or go to “the local”. It isn’t only in Australia where this is happening. In the UK, around <a href="https://www.lonelinessawarenessweek.org/statistics">3.9 million older people</a> say television is their main company. Half a million may go five or six days a week without seeing anyone. The World Health Organisation <a href="https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness">recognises</a> loneliness and social isolation as public health issues and priorities for policymakers. These issues seriously affect people’s mental and physical health as well as longevity. The impacts are comparable with other <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-15967-3">risk factors</a> such as smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and not being physically active. <h2>Could slow, ‘chatty’ checkouts be part of the solution?</h2> For many, a visit to the supermarket may be the only time they interact with others. Sadly, increased use of technology, including self-serve checkouts, and cashiers tasked with speedily processing customers can make it challenging to have a conversation. <iframe title="The FASTEST checkout cashier ever😮 TikTok: rogerlopez7511" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TpALSOvw4LU" width="100%" height="750" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Four years ago, the Netherlands’ second-largest supermarket chain, <a href="https://jumbo.com">Jumbo</a>, introduced Kletskassa or “chat checkout”. It’s for shoppers who want to chat and aren’t in a hurry. Recognising loneliness was an issue for many, the idea was to increase social interaction between customers and staff by slowing things down and encouraging conversation. Jumbo’s chief commercial officer, Colette Cloosterman-van Eerd, <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/09/jumbo-opens-chat-checkouts-to-combat-loneliness-among-the-elderly/">explained</a>: <blockquote> Many people, especially the elderly, sometimes feel lonely. As a family business and supermarket chain, we are at the heart of society. Our shops are an important meeting place for many people, and we want to play a role in identifying and reducing loneliness. </blockquote> The first Kletskassa, in Vlijmen in Brabant, was so successful the family-owned company started rolling out slow checkouts in <a href="https://www.dutchnews.nl/2021/09/jumbo-opens-chat-checkouts-to-combat-loneliness-among-the-elderly/">200 of its stores</a>. Not only were customers responding positively, the concept also appealed to Jumbo’s employees. They are trained to recognise signs of loneliness and come up with local initiatives to combat social isolation. Cloosterman-Van Eerd said: <blockquote> We are proud our staff want to work the chat checkout. They really want to help people and make contact with them. It’s a small gesture but it’s a valuable one, particularly in a world that is becoming more digital and faster. </blockquote> The original focus of Jumbo’s initiative was older shoppers. However, the trial showed people of all ages were keen to use the Kletskassa. The desire for human interaction didn’t change across age groups. So, these “chatty” checkouts are open to anyone who will benefit from social connection. Some Jumbo stores also have an <a href="https://www.brightvibes.com/dutch-supermarket-introduces-a-unique-chat-checkout-to-help-fight-loneliness/">All Together Coffee Corner</a>, where locals can enjoy a coffee and chat with neighbours and volunteers who also <a href="https://scoop.upworthy.com/dutch-supermarket-introduces-a-unique-slow-checkout-lane-to-help-fight-loneliness-595693-595693">help out</a> with shopping and gardening. The Netherlands’ government is partnering a range of organisations, local government and companies to come up with solutions to combat loneliness across the country. Some 50% of the 1.3 million people over 75 report they regularly feel lonely. Jumbo’s initiatives are part of the Health Ministry’s <a href="https://www.globalwellnesssummit.com/blog/governments-ramp-up-the-war-on-loneliness/">One Against Loneliness</a> campaign. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/11SY0wG6Zc8?wmode=transparent&start=10" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Jumbo supermarket’s innovation of slow chat checkouts has been extended to 200 of its stores.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Supermarkets as ‘third places’ to combat loneliness</h2> In the 1980s, sociologist Ray Oldenberg coined the term <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00986754">“third place”</a> – a place that’s not home (the “first place”) and not work (the “second place”). Third places are familiar public spaces where people can connect over a shared interest or activity. Libraries, coffee shops, book stores, community gardens, churches, gyms and clubs are examples of third places. They all provide the opportunity for close proximity, interaction and often serendipitous conversations with other people we might not usually meet. Kletkassa have helped thousands of people, of all ages and backgrounds, by providing a few minutes of kindness and conversation. Imagine what could be achieved if our supermarkets offered their own version of the “slow checkout” for anyone who’s in need of a chat to brighten their day. The first chain to introduce this sort of initiative in Australia would have a solid advantage over competitors through differentiation and prioritising customers. At the same time, it would make a small but meaningful contribution to improving social wellbeing. Challenge extended!<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211126/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/louise-grimmer-212082">Louise Grimmer</a>, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-tasmania-888">University of Tasmania</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/feeling-lonely-too-many-of-us-are-heres-what-our-supermarkets-can-do-to-help-211126">original article</a>.

Caring

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

The world is facing a significant food waste problem, with <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/i4068e/i4068e.pdf">up to half of all fruit and vegetables</a> lost somewhere along the agricultural food chain. Globally, around <a href="https://www.fao.org/3/ca6030en/ca6030en.pdf">14% of food produced</a> is lost after harvesting but before it reaches shops and supermarkets. Alongside food prices (66%), food waste is a concern for 60% of people that participated in a <a href="https://www.food.gov.uk/research/food-and-you-2/food-and-you-2-wave-5">recent survey</a> published by the UK Food Standards Agency. <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">Other research</a> suggests that as much as 25% of apples, 20% of onions and 13% of potatoes grown in the UK are destroyed because they don’t look right. This means that producers’ efforts to meet stringent specifications from buyers can lead to <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmenvfru/429/429.pdf">perfectly edible produce being discarded</a> before it even leaves the farm – simply because of how it looks. Aside from the ongoing environmental implications of this food waste, UK shoppers currently face <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/04/food-tsar-blames-shortages-on-uks-weird-supermarket-culture">produce rationing in some supermarkets</a> due to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/28/british-supermarkets-are-rationing-fruit-and-vegetables-amid-shortages.html">shortages of items like tomatoes, cucumbers and raspberries</a>. Any solutions that increase locally grown produce on shop shelves could improve the availability of fresh food, particularly in urban areas. When imperfect fruit and vegetables don’t make it to supermarket shelves, it can be due to <a href="https://cases.open.ubc.ca/insistence-on-cosmetically-perfect-fruits-vegetables/">cosmetic standards</a>. Supermarkets and consumers often prefer produce of a fairly standard size that’s free of blemishes, scars and other imperfections. This means fruit and vegetables that are misshapen, discoloured, or even too small or too large, are rejected before they make it to supermarket shelves. In recent years there has been a growing trend of selling such “ugly” fruit and vegetables, both by <a href="https://my.morrisons.com/wonky-fruit-veg/">major</a> <a href="https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/content/sustainability/food-waste">supermarket</a> <a href="https://www.tescoplc.com/news/2021/wonky-veg-5th-anniversary/">chains</a>, as well as <a href="https://wonkyvegboxes.co.uk/">speciality</a> <a href="https://www.misfitsmarket.com/?exp=plans_rollback">retailers</a> that sell <a href="https://www.oddbox.co.uk/">boxes</a> of <a href="https://etepetete-bio.de/">wonky produce</a>. And research has shown that 87% of people say they would <a href="https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fruit-and-veg/nearly-90-of-consumers-would-eat-wonky-fruit-and-veg-according-to-new-survey/670155.article">eat wonky fruit and vegetables if they were available</a>. But other research indicates consumers can still be picky and difficult to predict. One study <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950329316302002?via%3Dihub">showed</a> consumers are likely to throw away an apple with a spot, but would eat a bent cucumber. <h2>Getting ugly produce into baskets</h2> So how can producers and retailers boost the amount of non-standard fruit and veg that not only reaches our shelves, but also our plates? <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0377221723000668">Our recent research</a> suggests a separate channel for selling ugly produce would increase profits for growers, lower prices for consumers and boost overall demand for produce. For growers, a dedicated channel – either independent or set up by a supermarket – to supply wonky fruit and veg creates a new line of business. For retailers, this provides an opportunity for further revenue over and above current sales of standard produce to shops. When selling both types of product to a single retailer, the ugly items might be undervalued compared with the standard-looking products. Our research also shows that selling the ugly produce through a dedicated channel is likely to increase total demand for fruit and vegetables, while also decreasing on-farm loss. Having two parallel channels for selling produce (the main one and the dedicated “ugly” channel) would increase competition. This benefits shoppers by lowering prices for regular and ugly produce, versus selling both types of products alongside each other in one shop. On the other hand, the growing market for ugly fruit and vegetables could be an economic threat to traditional retailers. It encourages new entrants into the market and could also limit the availability of “regular” produce because growers could become less stringent about ensuring produce meets traditional cosmetic standards. But there is a way for traditional retailers to add ugly produce into their product offerings alongside other produce without affecting their profits. By building on existing consumer awareness of the environmental benefits of ugly food, they could also compete in this growing segment. This would benefit their bottom lines and help consumer acceptance of misshapen fruit and vegetables, possibly leading to less food waste and shortages like those UK shoppers are experiencing right now. Boosting demand for imperfect fruit and vegetables across the supply chain will require all participants to get involved – from grower to seller. Here are some steps the various parties could take: <h2>1. Educating consumers</h2> Education about the environmental and economic impact of food waste could happen through marketing campaigns, in-store displays and even social media. <h2>2. Reducing cosmetic standards</h2> Supermarkets and other major food retailers could revise their cosmetic standards to accept a wider range of produce, including imperfect fruit and vegetables. This would help reduce food waste by making sure more produce is able to be sold. <h2>3. Direct sales</h2> Farmers and growers could sell non-standard produce directly to consumers through farmers’ markets or subscription services. This allows consumers to purchase fresh, locally grown produce that might not meet cosmetic standards for supermarkets but that is just as nutritionally beneficial. <h2>4. Food donations</h2> Supermarkets and growers could donate produce rejected for how it looks to food banks, shelters and other organisations that serve those in need. This would help reduce food waste while also providing healthy food to those who might not otherwise have access to it. <h2>5. Value-added products</h2> Produce that doesn’t meet cosmetic standards could also be used to create other products such as soups, sauces and juices. In addition to reducing food waste, this would create new revenue streams for growers and retailers. <h2>6. Food composting</h2> Anything that cannot be sold or otherwise used should be composted. This would help reduce food waste while also creating nutrient-rich soil for future crops. By implementing these solutions, the supply chain can reduce the amount of ugly or imperfect fruit and vegetables that are wasted, while also providing consumers with healthy, affordable produce, even in times of supply chain shortages. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-ugly-fruit-and-vegetables-could-tackle-food-waste-and-solve-supermarket-supply-shortages-201216" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Food & Wine

Supermarket delivery by robot better for the climate

Along with their <a href="https://twitter.com/historymatt/status/1525776275939418113" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cult following on social media</a>, autonomous delivery robots travelling on footpaths could be the most climate-friendly way to do your grocery shopping. Around the world, <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/will-covid-19-change-our-cities/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COVID-19 has seen a change</a> in the way people shop for groceries. Instead of driving to the supermarket more people are ordering online for pick-up or home delivery, and even in some places, delivery <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/robotics/drone-delivery-groceries-canberra/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">by drone</a> or robot. In the United States supermarket home delivery services grew 54% between 2019 and 2020. In Australia, Woolworths and Coles experienced <a href="https://theconversation.com/coles-and-woolworths-are-moving-to-robot-warehouses-and-on-demand-labour-as-home-deliveries-soar-166556" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unprecedented demand.</a> The rapid growth in e-commerce has seen an increased focus on the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/sustainability/to-help-the-environment-should-you-shop-in-store-or-online/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘last-mile’ delivery</a>. A study by University of Michigan researchers and the Ford Motor Co modelled the emissions associated with the journey of a 36-item grocery basket from shop to home via a number of alternative transport options. Their study is <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/acs.est.2c02050" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. “This research lays the groundwork for understanding the impact of e-commerce on greenhouse gas emissions produced by the grocery supply chain,” says the study’s senior author Greg Keoleian<a href="https://seas.umich.edu/research/faculty/greg-keoleian" target="_blank" rel="noopener">,</a> director of the Centre for Sustainable Systems at University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability. The researchers modelled 72 different ways the groceries could travel from the warehouse to the customer. Across all options, the results showed ‘last-mile’ transport emissions to be the major source of <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/food-transport-emissions-cost/">supply chain emissions</a>. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p201307-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> They found the conventional option of driving to the supermarket in a petrol or diesel car to be the most polluting, creating six kilograms of carbon dioxide (CO2). All other choices had lower emissions, with footpath delivery robots the cleanest for the climate, at one kg CO2. A customer who switched to an electric vehicle could halve their emissions. But they could achieve a similar impact on emissions by reducing their shopping frequency. Without buying a new car, households who halved the frequency of supermarket trips reduced emissions by 44%. Keoleian says the study emphasises the “important role consumers can serve in reducing emissions through the use of trip chaining and by making carefully planned grocery orders.” Trip chaining refers to combining grocery shopping with other errands. All home delivery options had lower emissions than in-store shopping – in part due to the efficiencies gained in store operation and transport – with the potential to cut emissions by 22 – 65%. Footpath robots are being trialled in cities across the United States, Europe and China. These four or six wheeled robots carry items like supermarket shopping or retail items over short distances. Most have a delivery range around three kilometres. <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="entry-content-asset"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"> <div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered spai-bg-prepared" style="display: flex; max-width: 500px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" class="spai-bg-prepared" style="display: block; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 500px; height: 612px; flex-grow: 1;" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=CosmosMagazine&dnt=true&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1525776275939418113&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fcosmosmagazine.com%2Fearth%2Fclimate%2Frobot-delivery-better-for-the-climate%2F&sessionId=84ec360f0f0db6f38136f997db6585736d09d60a&siteScreenName=CosmosMagazine&theme=light&widgetsVersion=b7df0f50e1ec1%3A1659558317797&width=500px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-tweet-id="1525776275939418113"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </figure> <a>Starship robots</a> is one example. Since launching in 2014, their robots have completed three million autonomous home deliveries in cities across Estonia, the United Kingdom, Finland and the United States. <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=201307&title=Supermarket+delivery+by+robot+better+for+the+climate" width="1" height="1" /> <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/climate/robot-delivery-better-for-the-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Petra Stock</a>. Petra Stock has a degree in environmental engineering and a Masters in Journalism from University of Melbourne. She has previously worked as a climate and energy analyst. Image: Getty Images </div>

Technology

15 foods you can ignore the best-before date on

Ignoring the best before date on some items could save you thousands each year, new research has revealed. While it seems sensible to pay attention to best before labels, you could accidentally be throwing out food that’s perfectly good to eat, according to a food waste movement started in the UK. Too Good To Go has urged shoppers not to rely on best before dates and use by labels in order to tell whether or not food is good enough to eat. It also said Australian consumers throw away around 3.1 million tonnes of food per year which on average costs households between $2000 to $2500 per year, Oz Harvest says. But Too Good To Go, which according to its website is set to launch in Australia soon, says that as long as an item looks, tastes and smells OK, you can probably use it past the best before date. Common items that are safe to eat if they pass this three-step test include eggs, milk and cheese. Frozen food, dried pasta and bread are also likely to remain edible after the best before date has passed. What is a best before date? The best before date is related to quality and there is no harm in eating items that have gone past “best” if they have been stored correctly, like at the right fridge temperature. This is different from the use-by date, which is very important in the safety of food. You can eat food right up to the use-by date but not after, according to <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/dates/Pages/default.aspx">Foods Standards Australia New Zealand</a>. Even if it looks, smells and tastes OK, food after its use-by date can still contain unseen bacteria that can make you ill. Many people don’t understand the difference between the two labels. “Reducing food waste is a win-win solution,” Jamie Crummie, co-founder of Too Good To Go told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/17743721/foods-ignore-best-before-dates-save-money/">The Sun</a>. “Not only do you reduce its harmful impact on the environment, but you save money in the process too. “In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, reducing our food waste is a really simple and easy thing that everyone can do to reduce their food costs, all the while knowing you’re doing something great for the planet too.” Which products can I eat past the best before date? With food prices rising, household finances are under pressure for millions of Australians. Official data says groceries have risen by 4.2% between December 2019 and December 2021, excluding tobacco and alcohol. That’s a touch slower than overall consumer price inflation which has gone up 4.39% in total over two years. But overall, Australians are reporting feeling like their grocery bills have gone up far, far more than the official figures. Avoiding throwing out food that’s still good could help you save some much-needed cash. Of course, the exact amount you can save depends on how much you usually chuck out and which items you can rescue before they are binned. Here’s what you can eat: Milk Milk is the fifth most wasted food and drink product in Australia, after potatoes, bread, bananas and lettuce according to Aus Food News. With the average cost of a liter of milk currently $1.72, that’s millions of dollars down the drain too. It’s easy to tell if milk has gone off as it can go lumpy, smell funky, or taste sour. Bread If you store your bread in the fridge you can use it for up to two weeks past the best before date. Bread that has gone a little hard will still be great for toast, Too Good To Go says. Bread sold in long-life packaging like pittas can last for considerably longer too – potentially months. Eggs Millions of eggs are thrown out every year. Keep them in the fridge and this could increase usability by as much as three weeks after the best before date. An easy test to see if an egg is good to eat is putting it in a bowl of water – if it sinks it’s fine to eat, if it floats then it’s not. Hard cheese Hard cheeses like cheddar are perfectly good to eat after the best before date. You can cut any surface mould off of hard cheeses and eat the rest safely if it’s free from mould. But this is not recommended for soft dairy products like goats cheese. According to Too Good To Go, spores from mould often pass through soft cheese quite quickly. Yoghurt While the texture and taste of yoghurt may change as time goes on, the acidic nature of the product means bad bacteria are kept at bay almost indefinitely. This is particularly true if the yoghurt is unopened, and has been stored correctly. It means as long as it passes the look, smell and taste test you can eat it several weeks after the best before date. Canned food We’ve all had cans of food lurking for too long in our cupboards at some point and the good news is that they’re safe to eat years after the best before date. That’s because of the extremely high heat process products go through when being canned that kills bacteria and sterilises the contents. Frozen food When you leave food in the freezer the quality deteriorates over time, but it’s still safe to use. It’s generally recommended to eat most freezer foods within three to six months if you want them at their best. Dried pasta Dried pasta can last up to three years after the best before date. You just need to make sure that it’s been stored in an airtight container for that time White rice White rice can last for years too, if kept in an airtight container. It can become stale as the starch naturally crystallises, but it’s safe to eat. But you want to look out for rice weevils, which can appear in flour too. If you spot these, don’t eat it – throw it away. This only applies to white rice though, not brown, as it is refined and the preservatives keep it good for longer. Biscuits Unopened biscuits can be eaten weeks after the best before date and up to six months, according to Wrap. Honey Honey can last for a very long time, according to To Good To Go, even when it crystallises. It’s safe to eat and there’s a simple trick to get the consistency back – just place the jar or bottle into a bowl of boiling water. Soy sauce This cooking essential will last years after the best before date if it’s kept sealed. That’s because it contains a lot of salt, which acts as a preservative. Vinegar Vinegar is used as a preservative, to make other foods last longer like pickles and eggs. So the condiment will last well past its best before date. Sugar Sugar can last indefinitely, the food waste organisation says, just keep it in an airtight container. Bicarbonate of soda If you took up baking during lockdown but didn’t take it up as a full time hobby, you can still dig out and use up an old tub of bicarb. It’s safe to use years after the best before, though be warned that it can lose some of its power as a raising agent. It’s also still good to use as a cleaning agent around the house. Image: Getty

Food & Wine

“Hidden” sugars on our supermarket shelves

<div class="copy"> Australians are buying large amounts of “hidden” added sugars in their supermarket groceries, according to a new study. The research, led by the George Institute for Global Health, found that over half of the food and drink bought in supermarkets contains added sugar, but it’s not clearly labelled as such. “We used supermarket survey data to look at the amount of added sugar that Australians buy when they shop at the supermarket,” says Daisy Coyle, a dietician and research fellow at the George Institute. The researchers looked at a year’s worth of purchases from 7,188 households. They found that on average, Australians are buying nine teaspoons (36g) of added sugar per person per day in groceries, with low-income households buying more. “It might not sound like a lot, nine teaspoons, but it’s recommended by the World Health Organization that we consume no more than 12 teaspoons each day. So we’re getting nine teaspoons just from packaged food from the supermarket alone,” says Coyle. Restaurant, takeaway and other non-supermarket food would need to be very lean in sugar indeed to avoid exceeding the recommended daily amount. Most of the added sugar comes from 10 different categories of food product. Coyle says that some of these products wouldn’t necessarily be thought to have large amounts of added sugar. “The usual suspects are up there, things like sugary drinks, and chocolates and lollies, but we’re also finding more of the everyday staple foods contain a lot of added sugar,” she says. “Things like breakfast cereals, pasta sauces and yoghurts.” The researchers believe these added sugars may make it more difficult for Australians to eat healthily. “The issue with added sugars is that it’s not on the nutrition label,” says Coyle. “So while consumers can pick up a product and look at, say, the protein, carbs and total sugar content, they can’t get any information about the added sugar. So you can’t compare products – you can’t make healthier choices.” Plenty of foods – like fruit and milk – contain sugar naturally, but this is less of a concern from a nutrition perspective. “Natural sugars come from healthy foods that contain other nutrients,” says Coyle. “If you’re talking about sugar that’s in fruit, you’re not just getting the sugar – you’re getting fibre and vitamins and minerals. Added sugar contains nothing but just sugar.” The researchers believe that this extra sugar needs to be addressed at a policy level. This could include making current voluntary <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/healthy-food-partnership/partnership-reformulation-program" target="_blank">sugar reduction targets</a> mandatory and lower, and introducing stronger labelling guidelines, among other things. “We always think that it shouldn’t just be on the consumer, it shouldn’t just be on the individual,” says Coyle. “Our food environments, our supermarkets, should be made healthier, so it’s easier to make a healthy choice.” A paper describing the research is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2021.06.013" target="_blank">published</a> in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Image credits: Getty Images</div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/added-sugars-australian-supermarket-products/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Ellen Phiddian. </div>

Food & Wine

A supermarket in Britain has removed use-by dates in favour of the 'sniff test'

Image: Getty Grocery chain ‘Morrisons’ is being slammed after announcing a decision to scrap “use-by” dates on milk, instead asking customers to use a “sniff test” to determine if the milk has gone bad. The supermarket will switch to using “best before” dates on 90% of its home brand milk packaging from the end of January, The Sun reports. The date will remain the same but Morrisons is asking customers to not automatically assume the milk is off, but instead sniff to see whether it has expired first. Best before dates indicate that a product will have a better quality if consumed before that day, but use by means food might not be safe to eat after that point and runs the risk of making the customer sick. Morrisons said the move is intended to reduce food wastage, as millions of litres of milk are thrown away each year. It is estimated that 48 million litres of milk are wasted due to customers following “use-by” labels. Research shows milk is often fine to be used days after the use-by date the supermarket said. So yes, customers are being encouraged to smell their milk to check if it has actually gone bad before throwing it away. A sour aroma or curdled consistency are both signs milk has been spoiled. Shoppers took to Twitter to complain about the decision, with many asking how they can smell the milk while in store. However, Morrisons said that won’t be necessary because it won’t sell milk that is near the best before date. One customer said: “So, Morrisons – can we open the bottle in order to sniff it before purchase? Or do we have to go home, sniff it, then bring it back if it’s off?” Another added: “I can open the milk whilst still in Morrisons to check then I guess?” Others pointed out that one of the main symptoms of Covid is losing your sense of smell. “Generations before us have always used the sniff test – and I believe we can too” According to Ian Goode, senior milk buyer at Morrisons.

Food & Wine

Gun-toting Santa stops supermarket thieves

A group of police officers are celebrating the holiday season – except not how we would quite imagine. Officers in Riverside, California, took part in an operation called “Santa’s intervention”, where they dressed as Santa and elves to stop alleged thieves from stealing. On Thursday, several police men and women waited outside Target dressed as Santa and his elves. “As the suspects exited the store with merchandise they just stole, Santa and his elf were waiting to take them into custody for the theft,” police said. “As a result of this operation, three arrests were made.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.9488817891374px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839244/police-santa-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0ec0022f5fcc4113b20934a0ff18dc2e" /> A woman was arrested for allegedly stealing a trolley full of stolen items while a local homeless man was also detained after he entered a store while he was allegedly in possession of illegal drugs. A second man was arrested for allegedly stealing more than A$1300 worth of Lego. “Toward the conclusion of the operation, detectives received information about three suspicious men casing vehicles in the shopping centre parking lots,” police said. “One of the undercover detectives spotted these three men as they were in the act of stealing an older white Honda CR-V. “Two of the men saw the detective and ran off but were quickly apprehended by the other officers. One suspect resisted arrest but was taken into custody with the help of our undercover Santa, and the second was detained by the undercover elf.”

Legal

Here’s how to stay safe while buying groceries amid the coronavirus pandemic

Wear a mask, but skip the gloves. Don’t sanitize the apples. And if you are older than 65, it’s probably best to still order your groceries online. As a food virologist, I hear a lot of questions from people about the coronavirus risks in grocery stores and how to stay safe while shopping for food amid the pandemic. Here are answers to some of the common questions. Can I touch the tomatoes? What you touch on the grocery shelves is less of a concern than who breathes on you and other surfaces you might come in contact with in a store. In fact, there is <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/fda-offers-assurance-about-food-safety-and-supply-people-and-animals-during-covid-19">currently no evidence of the virus being transmitted by food</a> or food packaging. You may have heard about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMc2004973">studies showing that the virus can remain infectious</a> for up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to 72 hours on plastic or stainless steel. These are controlled laboratory studies, in which high levels of infectious virus are applied to the surfaces and humidity and temperature held constant. In these experiments, the level of infectious virus – virus capable of causing disease – decreased even after a few hours, indicating that the virus does not survive well on these surfaces. The highest risk is close contact with other people who may be shedding virus in droplets as they <a href="http://doi.org/doi:10.1001/jama.2020.4756">sneeze</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2006874117">talk or breathe</a> nearby. Next would be high-touch surfaces, like door handles, where someone not practicing good hand hygiene might have transferred the virus to the surface. In this scenario, you would have to touch this surface and then <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations">touch your own mucus membranes</a> – your eyes, mouth or ears – to contract the illness. Think about how often a surface is touched, and then decide if you can avoid the riskiest spots or use <a href="https://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7366/files/files/page/UCDavis-Handling%20Groceries_COVID-19_Flyer_040220.pdf">hand sanitizer after touching them</a>. Significantly more people touch door handles and credit card machines compared to a tomato in a bin. Do I need to sanitize my food when I get home? No, you do not need to sanitize your food when you get home, and trying to do so can actually be dangerous. Chemicals and soaps are not labeled for use on food. This means we do not know if they are safe or even effective when directly applied to food. Moreover, some of these practices might create food safety hazards. For example, if you filled a sink with water and then submerged your vegetables in it, pathogenic microorganisms in your sink – say, trapped in the drain from the raw chicken you cut up the night before – might contaminate your produce. You should instead <a href="https://foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Retail-Produce_Food-Safety_COVID-19_Flyer.pdf?fwd=no">wash your produce</a> under cool running water and then dry it with a clean towel. You don’t need to wait to unpack groceries or boxes when you arrive home. Instead, <a href="https://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7366/files/files/page/UCDavis-Handling%20Groceries_COVID-19_Flyer_040220.pdf">after unpacking, wash your hands</a>. Washing your hands frequently, using soap and water and drying with a clean towel, is really the best defense for protecting yourself from this virus and many other infectious diseases that might be on a surface or package. Should I wear gloves in the grocery store? Gloves are <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/gloves.html">not currently recommended</a> for a visit to the grocery store, in part because they may help spread germs. If you are wearing gloves, know that disposable gloves are meant for a single use and you should throw them out after you are done shopping. <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/kajabi-storefronts-production/sites/91734/themes/1815492/downloads/r73ENmbsSI2VBgOK6XB2_COVID-19_School_Food_Service_Safety_Precautions.pdf">To take off gloves</a>, grab the band at the wrist on one hand, making sure not to have gloved fingers touch your skin, and pull the glove up over your hand and fingers turning it inside out as you remove. Best practice is to wash your hands after the gloves are removed. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer. How should I deal with other people? We wear masks to protect others. You can have COVID-19 and <a href="https://theconversation.com/infected-with-the-coronavirus-but-not-showing-symptoms-a-physician-answers-5-questions-about-asymptomatic-covid-19-137029">not know it</a>, so <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-wear-face-masks-in-public-heres-what-the-research-shows-135623">wearing a mask</a> can help keep you from spreading the virus if you’re asymptomatic. Wearing a mask can also provide some level of protection to the person wearing it, but it does not keep out all droplets and is not 100% effective in preventing disease. Wearing a mask helps reduce how far droplets that can carry the coronavirus travel when the wearer talks or sneezes. <a href="http://gettyimages.com/">John Paraskevas/Newsday via Getty Images</a> Following <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html">social distancing guidelines</a> – keeping 6 feet between you and the next person – is very important when you are in a store or any other space with other people. If you’re over 65 or have a compromised immune system, see if the grocery has special hours for high-risk populations, and consider having groceries delivered to your home instead. Can I still bring my own bags? Many grocery stores have stopped allowing the use of reusable bags because of the potential risks to their workers. If you are using a reusable nylon or plastic bag, <a href="https://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/sites/g/files/dgvnsk7366/files/files/page/UCDavis_Reusable%20bags_COVID-19_Flyer.pdf">clean inside and outside of the bag</a> with soapy water and rinse. Spray or wipe down the bag inside and out with diluted bleach solution or disinfectant, then allow the bag to air dry completely. For cloth bags, wash the bag in warm water with normal laundry detergent, then dry it on the warmest setting possible. Everyone has to be more aware of their surroundings to stay safe during this pandemic. Remember to wear your mask and keep your distance from others and you can minimize the risks. Written by Erin DiCaprio. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-how-to-stay-safe-while-buying-groceries-amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic-138683">The Conversation.</a>

Caring

Supermarket’s genius plan to stop panic buying

The internet may be laughing at people hoarding items such as toilet paper in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, but a Danish supermarket has found a genius way to combat people from stocking up on items unnecessarily – in particular, hand sanitiser. Using a simple yet brilliant pricing trick, the supermarket has put an end to bulk buying. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A supermarket in Denmark got tired of people hoarding hand sanitizer, so came up with their own way of stopping it. 1 bottle kr40 (€5.50) 2 bottles kr1000 (€134.00) each bottle. Hoarding stopped!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/coronavirus?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#coronavirus</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hoarding?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hoarding</a> <a href="https://t.co/qaJb7UZwLr">pic.twitter.com/qaJb7UZwLr</a> — 𝙎𝙘𝙝𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙣 🕯️ 🇪🇺🇩🇰🇩🇪🇸🇬 (@_schuermann) <a href="https://twitter.com/_schuermann/status/1239294777452974080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2020</a></blockquote> Rotunden supermarket in Denmark consider themselves to be the country’s most prestigious supermarket, aiming to create an exclusive experience for each shopper that walks through their doors. Keeping their customer’s busy lifestyles in mind, they also make sure to not just sell as much as possible, but to get their products out to as many people as possible. The store is selling one bottle of sanitiser for 40 DKK ($4.09) while two bottles cost 1,000 DKK ($95). Similar to other supermarkets around the world, they recently experienced people attempting to hoard certain items and took it upon themselves to do something about it. Which is why they came up with the unconventional pricing idea. The business took to Facebook to explain their motivation behind the pricing. “Dear customers, we have a great responsibility to keep the business running, and we can only do that with everyone’s help and understanding. I can help in the following way: We ask all customers to respect the distance between each other and our co-workers; Sprinkle (likely sanitise or wash) hands off at the entrance and use gloves; If you are a family, please allow only one person to purchase the purchases if possible; There may be times when we limit how many customers we accept in the store at one time. We will keep you informed about any operating changes on Facebook. Take care and thank you for your understanding,” they state in the letter. The decision quickly went viral, with people all over the globe praising the supermarket for their decision. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> Brilliant. Simple yet innovative. We need more innovative ideas to prevent the current empty shelves. Are our complacent supermarkets taking note? <a href="https://twitter.com/sainsburys?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sainsburys</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/asda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@asda</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tesco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/waitrose?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@waitrose</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/AldiUK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AldiUK</a> — savvytraveller #FBPE #RejoinEU (@wineexpert1968) <a href="https://twitter.com/wineexpert1968/status/1240055854772215808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> Magnificent idea! We should do this in UK (although the shelves are bare anyway 🤪) but we could apply it for toilet roll, cans of soup, pasta...the essentials lol 🧻💷🧻🧻💎<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/panicbuyuk?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#panicbuyuk</a> — kathryn f (@verdiKat) <a href="https://twitter.com/verdiKat/status/1239494910820126722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> Brilliant idea. Instead of making multiples cheaper, or supermarkets should do this. That would stop the panic buying. — Gary Cook (@orak100) <a href="https://twitter.com/orak100/status/1239638122092265472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2020</a></blockquote>

Food & Wine

Supermarket customer meets violent fate for “taking too long”

A 69-year-old man has been charged after he punched a customer at a supermarket in Florida for taking too long. Henry Harvey was waiting in line with his wife at American store, Walmart, when he became angry at the customers in front of him on December 4, around 7.15 pm. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7833201/walmart-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c11b8ebf4a44f91a7f27d97003d87b2" /> According to Cape Coral Police Department, Harvey became involved in an argument with the customer ahead of him about how long they were taking. The argument resulted in Harvey punching the victim in the head. CNN reported. Later, Harvey was arrested at his home for battery. Police said the victim was not seriously injured after the assault. Image credit: Lee County’s Sheriff's Office.

Caring

Royal fright: Duchess Kate stuns shoppers with last-minute Halloween shopping spree at local supermarket

The Duchess of Cambridge has been spotted browsing for Halloween kids’ costumes at a local supermarket near the family’s country retreat on Thursday. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10204789/relatable-kate-middleton-praised-royal-fans-spotted-shopping-sainsburys-norfolk/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>, the Cambridge family are spending the half term school holidays at their countryside retreat, which is known as Anmer Hall. An onlooker said the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted picking up Halloween costumes with Prince George, 6, and Princess Charlotte, 4. “It was lovely to see her [Kate] just being a normal mum shopping with her kids,” the onlooker said. “I love how she [Kate] just goes about her normal life, she is so down to earth.” Another onlooker told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/kate-middleton-stuns-shoppers-popping-20718032" target="_blank">The Daily Star</a> about the encounter. "Another shopper said that Kate was in the shop near the clothing and pointed where she was to me. I just couldn't believe it. "She was with Charlotte and George looking at Halloween outfits, but her bodyguard was kind of watching people with phones and telling them no pictures.” Royal expert Phil Dampier said that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are making sure that their kids are getting a “normal childhood”. He spoke to Fabulous Digital about it. “William and Kate have made sure that their three children are getting as normal a childhood as possible and they all love the outdoor life. “At Anmer Hall in Norfolk they go for long walks in woods and have frequent trips to the beach. “Kate’s mum Carole is very close to George and often takes him out alone.” <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Bb_K0FDmT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Bb_K0FDmT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Princess Charlotte arrives for her first day of school at Thomas’s Battersea, joining her older brother Prince George ✏️📚🏫</a> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/kensingtonroyal/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Kensington Palace</a> (@kensingtonroyal) on Sep 5, 2019 at 1:15am PDT </div> </blockquote> Fans were quick to praise the Duchess for being “relatable”. “Over the years I've enjoyed seeing pics of Kate going about routine things like shopping,” one fan wrote. “She is a perfect representative of the Crown while on royal duties, and just relatable Kate when not on duties.” Another added: “Humble family.”

Family & Pets

How using your smartphone at the supermarket can increase your shopping bill

Are you constantly checking your phone when you’re out and about? Do you have trouble resisting the lure of ever more screen time? If so, be careful when you go grocery shopping – as your phone may be costing you more than you think. A <a href="https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/in-store-mobile-phone-use-and-customer-shopping-behavior-evidence">recent study</a> suggests that grocery shoppers who use their phones in the supermarket end up spending, on average, 41% more than those who don’t. This may sound counter intuitive. Previously, many bricks-and-mortar retailers have regarded shoppers’ smartphones as a distraction – or worse. They worried that customers who paid attention to their phones spent less time looking at enticing product displays in the store, or might use their phones to search for better deals online. To find out if these fears were justified (specifically when people go grocery shopping) a team of researchers conducted an experiment. We placed special eye-tracking glasses on more than 400 shoppers, who then went about their shopping as usual. The glasses allowed us to see precisely what the shoppers were doing when they were shopping – and what they looked at. Some of the participants were encouraged to use their mobile phones, while some were asked to put them away for the duration of their shopping trip. It turned out that the effect is ultimately the opposite of what we might have thought. Shoppers who checked their phone while shopping spent on average 41 per cent more at the till – and those people who used their phones the most also tended to spend the most money. Inside a shoppers’ mind The reason for this lies in the way the human brain works when we are shopping – and the vast amount of choices on offer. Even a small grocery store may keep 10,000 unique products in stock, while large supermarkets stock many times that. It is impossible for the human mind to consciously process and choose between all these available items. We simply cannot cope with all these decisions, which means our brains are trying to simplify the complexity of a grocery store in different ways. One way is to activate a kind of internal autopilot, which acts as a kind of shopping script, prescribing what we do and see in the store. Essentially, this means that most shoppers usually go to the shelves and sections they always go to, and buy the same products repeatedly. Say, for example, that you regularly buy milk, chicken and bananas. Your inner autopilot will lead you between the points in the store where you know these items belong. Similarly, if you are cooking food for a weekday dinner, you may have an inner script of what products should be in that. Products that are not part of that script are most often filtered away by your brain as irrelevant information. After all, why would you be interested in looking at baking products when you are planning a quick shop for a stir fry, before getting home after a long day at work? All these products we do not consciously see do not stand a chance of getting into the shopping basket. The harsh fact is that shoppers are very habitual creatures – most of us vary our grocery purchases between fewer than 150 products a year. Smartphone distractions But something different happens when we pick up our phones. Whether it’s to make a call, send a text message, check social media or browse holiday destinations, our minds are forced to switch our very limited attention capacity from the shopping task to the phone. As attention is distracted, the way shoppers behave in the store drastically changes. They suddenly walk more slowly and in unpredictable patterns, wandering along the aisles. They find themselves spending more time in the store, and becoming more receptive to looking at a wider assortment of products as the autopilot has been interrupted. This means they (you) are less likely to filter off information regarding products outside the normal script and more like to be inspired to buy more of them. In essence, shoppers who look at their phones spend more time in the store, look at more products, and buy more things. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as you may be reminded to buy products that are needed at home that were not on your mental shopping list – or you may be inspired to try a new ingredient. But if you are conscious of sticking to your shopping plan and budget, then it may be best to keep your phone in your bag or pocket. Remember that an online friendly store – with free wi-fi or smartphone docking stations on trolley handles – may simply be landing you with a bigger shopping bill.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/117619/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Carl-Philip Ahlbom, Prize Fellow in Management, University of Bath. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/using-your-smartphone-at-the-supermarket-can-add-41-to-your-shopping-bill-117619">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Income

5 tips to ensure your supermarket is listening to you on social media

Making yourself heard by big businesses can be tricky. Even when companies have a presence on social media, you might question whether they are genuinely interested in providing opportunities for meaningful dialogue. Is anyone really listening, or are we just talking to ourselves? There have been refreshing signs that supermarkets can be persuaded to listen to the demands of their customers. So how do you make yourself heard by retailers on social media? After qualitatively examining over <a href="https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publications/the-never-ending-story-discursive-legitimation-in-social-media-di">68,000 supermarket social media posts</a> with colleagues at the University of Nottingham, here are my five tips for communicating with corporations – and getting noticed. 1. Introduce yourself There are countless posts vying for attention in the virtual world of social media, so you need to carve out a unique voice. Why should the retailer listen to you? Begin by making it clear who you are. Start with: “As a loyal customer…”, “As a farmer…”, “As a woman…” or “As a dad…” and you give yourself an identity. Do you live near a polluted river that is full of discarded plastic bags? Are you a parent who volunteers in the local community and needs help? Have you been a loyal consumer for years? This is a strategy used particularly well by the #stopfundinghate campaign, which is targeting retailers who advertise in The Sun, Daily Mail and Daily Express: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/coopuk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coopuk</a> As a member & regular shopper i would 💙 to see you <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/stopfundinghate?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#stopfundinghate</a>. Jars with <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thecoopway?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thecoopway</a> ethics?? Make a stand! <a href="https://twitter.com/StopFundingHate?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StopFundingHate</a> — Dominique Wedge (@MistyWedge) <a href="https://twitter.com/MistyWedge/status/833970051111870464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2017</a></blockquote> Building authority is key to establishing a legitimate base upon which to launch your argument. Do not underestimate the voice of experience. 2. Back up your argument You may well have a valid point to make. But no amount of ANGRY CAPITAL LETTERS, repeated exclamation marks or sad face emojis will communicate a reasoned argument. Instead, a strong case can be built by linking to the content of the organisation’s own policy, relevant legislation, a news article, or even a key image or video: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Tesco <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tesco</a>, I wanted to buy Organic produce from you today but I kept walking. I bought my produce elseware today just because of your needless plastic packaging. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/refusingplastic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#refusingplastic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/organic?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#organic</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tesco?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tesco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/plasticfree?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#plasticfree</a> <a href="https://t.co/AKL8WOclCv">pic.twitter.com/AKL8WOclCv</a> — Betty's Garden 🌻 (@BettyInCork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BettyInCork/status/957305468594065408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2018</a></blockquote> In lobbying supermarkets to stop stocking The Sun newspaper back in 2012, the <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/no-more-page-3-our-grassroots-campaign-took-on-a-huge-corporation-and-we-won-9992371.html">“No More Page 3” (#NMP3) campaign</a> provided a masterclass in rational argument of an emotive issue. Through a whole host of <a href="https://twitter.com/NoMorePage3?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">social media discussions</a>, campaigners skilfully drew on <a href="http://proceedings.aom.org/content/2015/1/16085.short">facts, figures and feelings</a> to persuade retailers such as Tesco, Sainbury’s and the Co-op to stop selling The Sun newspaper until it removed Page 3. In a world of fake news, make sure you are armed with facts. 3. Go compare Competition between UK supermarkets is stiff – so holding retailers to account against their rivals is a great way to galvanise action. Back in 2013, Co-op bowed to social media pressure and announced that it would only sell “lads mags” that were covered by <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jul/29/loaded-owner-cooperative-lads-mags-ban">“modesty wraps”</a>. Days later, Tesco did the same, saying it had <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23558211">“listened carefully”</a> to consumer suggestions (and perhaps those of its competitors). Today, we have seen a similar approach taken to the under-16 energy drink ban: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> VICTORY for <a href="https://twitter.com/jamieoliver?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jamieoliver</a> and the <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyMirror?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DailyMirror</a> on our energy drinks campaign that can make the nations children healthier. All these supermarkets have now banned the sale of energy drinks to under 16s ✅ Waitrose ✅ Aldi ✅ Asda ✅ Tesco ✅ Sainsburys ✅ Morrisons ✅ Lidl — Johnny Goldsmith (@MirrorJohnny) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirrorJohnny/status/956841243438469120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 26, 2018</a></blockquote> You can even compare supermarkets to themselves. Does the talk match the walk? Are there inconsistencies between what the supermarket said it would do, and what it actually did? 4. Tell a story On social media, arguments should be short and concise. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a narrative. Making an emotional connection is key and what better way to do this than setting the scene with a dramatic plot, personal triumph, unresolved mystery, happy ending or tale of woe? On the topic of <a href="https://theconversation.com/whatever-happened-to-bans-on-gm-produce-in-british-supermarkets-51153">genetically modified organisms</a>, for example, we found evidence of retailers being construed both as villains (“I will no longer be shopping in your stores now you are to use GMO fed meat”) and heroes (“Thank you for your reassurance, I will continue to happily shop in your stores”). Characterisation helps to convey an opinion: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> Thanks for the heads up <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfTimLang?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ProfTimLang</a>, will start building my own network of trusted suppliers now, don't trust supermarkets anymore. not interested in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GMO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GMO</a> corn fed chicken and all that crap. Sorry <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesco?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tesco</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/asda?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@asda</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/LidlUK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LidlUK</a> etc. <a href="https://t.co/E7pT9vMAvE">https://t.co/E7pT9vMAvE</a> — Anna Lehmann (@BusterOnAir) <a href="https://twitter.com/BusterOnAir/status/951141308093075456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote> 5. Play devil’s advocate Social media is seen by some as something of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2017/nov/29/vortex-online-political-debate-arguments-trump-brexit">vortex</a> – a negative time drain that consumes far too much emotional energy. But there is a benefit to online rage, in that it makes conversations continue. The more vibrant and charged discussions involve a plurality of perspectives and some healthy antagonism, particularly around complex socio-political topics such as gender objectification or animal welfare. Keep fuelling the fire and stoking the debate with original and divisive opinions. Keep disagreeing with each other – and the companies. It is when organisational boundaries are truly tested that the real learning can occur. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> why is it going to take 5 years to replace plastic packaging with card or paper packaging? especially when compared with much larger stores like asda or tesco you do not have as many own label products as them? would be nice if could be done in 2 years — Kev (@kevcampbell) <a href="https://twitter.com/kevcampbell/status/955018179499188224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2018</a></blockquote> So whether it’s consumer reward schemes, customer convenience or issues of social responsibility, every comment in supermarket social media adds to the rich tapestry of online debate. There are ways to make yourself heard, and to improve the way retailers serve their customers. Social media channels can be effective online petri dishes for organisational learning – the companies just have to keep listening.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90634/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Sarah Glozer, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, Business & Society, University of Bath. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-tips-to-ensure-your-supermarket-is-listening-to-you-on-social-media-90634">The Conversation</a>.

Retirement Income

Duchess Meghan's $4 supermarket beauty secret in your kitchen cupboard

The Duchess of Sussex has the ability to obtain anything with a snap of her fingertips, including a range of expensive beauty products, but the royal is known to use a much more affordable alternative when it comes to her skincare routine. Straying away from pricey potions and creams, Meghan chooses to opt for homemade face masks consisting of breakfast oats which are priced at a cheap $3.50. The concoction is made up of coconut oil, honey and porridge, which helps exfoliate and smooth out the skin. She also reportedly uses turmeric paste to brighten her complexion according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/8341917/meghan-markle-puts-porridge-on-her-face-to-keep-her-young/" target="_blank">The Sun</a>. Nichola Joss, skincare guru to the stars and the Duchess commends the 37-year-old for whipping up her own skin remedies at home. “At-home face masks are amazing, and I fully endorse them. They’re easy, free, and you have full control of the ingredients you’re putting on your skin – which is why most of my clients love them,” Joss told The Sun. She revealed to the British newspaper that the mask was created using coconut oil “to create a soothing paste-like consistency” and was combined with turmeric to help brighten and even out the skin tone. For a hydrating and exfoliating mask, combining rolled oats and honey makes for an affordable face mask. Do you have any at-home beauty secrets? Let us know in the comments below.

Body

Woman’s disturbing discovery while cooking supermarket chicken

Just when we thought fruit being sabotaged with needles was finally over, a woman has discovered something in a piece of chicken as she bit into it during her meal, which she had purchased from a supermarket. Nadia Petersen, from New Zealand, shared a post on her Facebook page after her horrifying discovery – she found a rusty nail in the chicken as she was grilling the boneless piece. Peterson confirmed she had purchased the boneless chicken thigh pieces from a Countdown supermarket. Sharing the warning on her Facebook page with photos, Petersen wrote, “Check your boneless chicken thighs from Countdown (Regent Whangarei). Just about chomped on a rusty … nail.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnadiapetersenx%2Fposts%2F10216864299661100&width=500" width="500" height="420" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> She told local news company TVNZ, “I picked it up and I held it and stared at it for a couple seconds in disbelief, then I ran outside and spat my food out then washed my mouth out.” Petersen also took measures to ensure she would not fall ill or suffer any poisoning following the incident. “I rung the hospital first who took my details and passed me on to the poisons centre to make sure I wasn’t going to get sick from ingesting chicken with rust in it,” she told TVNZ. Petersen posted an update on Facebook, stating: "I shop at Countdown Regent all the time and the staff there are awesome. Today they gave me a $50 voucher on surrender of the chicken and nail, and gave me a pack of chicken, but most importantly they took it seriously." <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnadiapetersenx%2Fposts%2F10216870758342563&width=500" width="500" height="708" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> In the meantime, the New Zealand supermarket chain is investigating how a rusty nail ended up in a piece of boneless chicken thigh. A Countdown spokesperson confirmed to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/womans-shocking-discovery-supermarket-chicken-055542138.html">Yahoo7</a>, “Food safety is our utmost priority and we have a really thorough process to ensure we investigate any complaints properly.” They continued, “We have a range of safety precautions and measures in place which include metal detectors at points in the process and full traceability on all fresh meat.” The Countdown spokesperson also told Yahoo7 that “investigations are already underway and once the nail arrives we’ll be able to further analyse this”.

Legal

5 tricks to choose fastest line at supermarket

It’s a truth universally acknowledged that the queue you choose at the supermarket is always the slowest. Whether you’re queuing at the checkout, sitting in traffic or just waiting in line at the post office, it feels like the queues around us always seem to move faster. Well, that’s all about to end. David Andrews, author of the new book Why Does the Other Line Always Move Faster? The Myths and Misery, Secrets and Psychology of Waiting in Line, reveals some of the top secrets to picking the fast lane. “The slowest lane will always be the one you are personally in,” Andrews writes in his new book. Why? That’s because when you’re in the fast lane, you don’t even realise you’re moving more than those in the line next to you. According to Andrews, it’s largely psychological. If someone cuts in front of you, it exacerbates your state of frustration and adds to your perceived wait time. There are ways to choose a winning queue though. Follow these five line commandments and never wait again. Rule 1: Choose the line with more men Researchers from the University of Surrey have found that men hate waiting more than women. Pick a queue with more men in it, as they’ll likely be in a rush too. Rule 2: Think twice about the express line The allure of the express line might be strong, but studies show it isn’t necessarily the best option. Mathematician Dan Meyer reviewed check out data from his local supermarket and discovered that the fastest queues have fewer people, not fewer items. He found that each person in line adds 48 seconds to the wait, while an individual item only adds 2.8 seconds to your time in the line. When you consider the time it takes to process payment, swipe rewards cards and finish a transaction, it makes sense to opt for a line with fewer people. Rule 3: Withdraw cash before you shop Paying with cards may seem like the easiest option but Meyer found that cash-only lines are much quicker. Withdrawing money before you shop has also been shown to help with budgeting and preventing unnecessary purchases, so it’s a win-win. Rule 4: When in doubt, choose the left line Fact: Lines to the left are often shorter, because the majority of people are right-handed, and studies show right-handed people naturally gravitate to the right. Rule 5: Master your mind A lot of this frustration that comes from waiting in a slow queue is psychological, so Andrews recommends having a distraction on hand. Grab a magazine or bring your headphones and tune into your favourite radio station to make passing time that little bit more pleasant. Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/gardening/2015/04/how-to-grow-cucumbers/">Top tips for growing cucumbers</a> <a href="/lifestyle/gardening/2015/04/guide-to-vertical-gardens/">Your guide to vertical gardens</a> <a href="/lifestyle/gardening/2015/04/fast-growing-vegetables/">10 great fast-growing veggies</a>

Money & Banking

10 mistakes you’ve been making at the supermarket

Most people rock up to their local supermarket with nothing more than a wallet and a shopping list, and that’s exactly how the supermarkets get you. Supermarkets are designed to confuse, disorient and just plan trick otherwise savvy shoppers into making mistakes, and parting with more of their hard-earned cash. The good news is if you’re aware of the mistakes to avoid, it’s easy to get in and out of the supermarket without spending more than you need to. For a rundown of the simple mistakes you’ve been making at the supermarket, scroll through the gallery above. Have you been making these mistakes at the supermarket?

Money & Banking

10 sneaky tricks supermarkets use to make seniors spend more

Nothing you see in a supermarket is there purely by chance. From the placement of the grapes to the direction the Corn Flakes are facing, every element of the store has been scrutinised to the most minute degree with one end game in mind – getting shoppers to part with as much of their hard-earned cash as humanely possible. So, what option does the senior shopper have, asides from going off-grid entirely or wearing blinders every time you walk into the major supermarkets? Well, while there’s no way we’re going to be able to avoid these tactics entirely, as long as we can understand what the supermarket is trying to achieve, we can make sure we don’t fall for these sneaky tricks. To see 10 of the sneakiest tricks supermarkets use to make seniors spend more money when they’re doing their weekly shop, scroll through the gallery above. Have you noticed any of these tricks? Where do you shop?

Money & Banking

Can you spot the error made by this supermarket?

Coles may be one of the biggest supermarkets in Australia, but that doesn’t mean errors can be made occasionally. One Coles shopper has noticed a sale ticket on toilet paper that listed a packet of 24 toilet rolls for $9. Can you spot the error? <img width="500" height="769" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/43694/1_500x769.jpg" alt="1 (29)"/> The ticket wrongly advertised that the toilet paper was half price. If the toilet paper was originally $12, that means they would have to be on sale for $6 to be half price. “Coles, I don’t think that means what you think it means,” the shopper wrote on Reddit. Although the price is a good deal, most shoppers can hopefully easily spot the mistake. What is the worst mistake you have spotted in the shops? Let us know in the comments below. Image credit: imgur/peanut_BondSource:Reddit

Retirement Income

Why people are furious over this shopping trolley

One of the UK’s biggest supermarket chains has come under fire after a photo of one of their trolleys went viral on Twitter. Now, you’re probably (rightfully) thinking, “It’s a trolley, what could possibly be the problem?” Well, some social media users have criticised the new safety label on Tesco’s trolleys, dubbing them “sexist” as they only show a woman doing the shopping with her child in tow. <img width="500" height="334" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7268162/4914fafa00000578-5376581-image-a-17_1518299482039_500x334.jpg" alt="4914FAFA00000578-5376581-image -a -17_1518299482039" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> “Tesco, is it only women who do the food shopping and look after the kids?” a Manchester woman wrote on Twitter, with the hashtag #everydaysexism. Her tweet sparked a huge debate online, with many agreeing the retailer should have chosen gender-neutral figures. “It is not the trolley that’s sexist, it’s Tesco who thinks women are the only ones in a family who shops with kids,” one person replied. “The idea that shopping trolleys should be gendered in any way seems ridiculous,” Samantha Rennie, executive director of equality group Rosa UK Fund for Women and Girls told the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5376581/Tesco-trolleys-accused-sexism-gender-apartheid.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a>. “It’s a seemingly small factor that plays a role in reinforcing stereotypical ideas of the woman being responsible for the weekly food shop.” Matt O’Connor from the campaign group Fathers4Justice agreed, adding, “Tesco needs to stop this gender apartheid.” Others, however, have slammed the Manchester woman, labelling her overly sensitive and claiming the outrage was completely unnecessary. “Grow up this is so pathetic,” one Twitter user wrote. “It’s a picture on a shopping trolley. There are MUCH more important things in the world going on.” However, reports suggest Tesco has taken on the feedback and is currently in the process of changing the labels to include non-gendered icons.

Family & Pets

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

Supermarket delivery by robot better for the climate

15 foods you can ignore the best-before date on

“Hidden” sugars on our supermarket shelves

A supermarket in Britain has removed use-by dates in favour of the 'sniff test'

Gun-toting Santa stops supermarket thieves

Here’s how to stay safe while buying groceries amid the coronavirus pandemic

Supermarket’s genius plan to stop panic buying

Supermarket customer meets violent fate for “taking too long”

Royal fright: Duchess Kate stuns shoppers with last-minute Halloween shopping spree at local supermarket

How using your smartphone at the supermarket can increase your shopping bill

5 tips to ensure your supermarket is listening to you on social media

Duchess Meghan's $4 supermarket beauty secret in your kitchen cupboard

Woman’s disturbing discovery while cooking supermarket chicken

5 tricks to choose fastest line at supermarket

10 mistakes you’ve been making at the supermarket

10 sneaky tricks supermarkets use to make seniors spend more

Can you spot the error made by this supermarket?

Why people are furious over this shopping trolley

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Feeling lonely? Too many of us are. Here’s what our supermarkets can do to help

How ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables could tackle food waste and solve supermarket supply shortages

Supermarket delivery by robot better for the climate

15 foods you can ignore the best-before date on

“Hidden” sugars on our supermarket shelves

A supermarket in Britain has removed use-by dates in favour of the 'sniff test'

Gun-toting Santa stops supermarket thieves

Here’s how to stay safe while buying groceries amid the coronavirus pandemic

Supermarket’s genius plan to stop panic buying

Supermarket customer meets violent fate for “taking too long”

Royal fright: Duchess Kate stuns shoppers with last-minute Halloween shopping spree at local supermarket

How using your smartphone at the supermarket can increase your shopping bill

5 tips to ensure your supermarket is listening to you on social media

Duchess Meghan's $4 supermarket beauty secret in your kitchen cupboard

Woman’s disturbing discovery while cooking supermarket chicken

5 tricks to choose fastest line at supermarket

10 mistakes you’ve been making at the supermarket

10 sneaky tricks supermarkets use to make seniors spend more

Can you spot the error made by this supermarket?

Why people are furious over this shopping trolley

Join Over60