The only supermarket in our small rural town is an IGA. They now sell most vegetables in plastic bags. For example, washed potatoes are in a 5 kilo bag. You can’t open the bags to check the quality of the produce. Likewise with carrots and peas and many other items. All in sealed plastic bags that have the growers printing on the bags which obscures any decent view of the condition of the products.
I’m surprised they haven’t done the same with apples and oranges. Oh wait, oranges often come in plastic net bags now.
They even have some eggs in plastic containers. This is just crazy. What’s wrong with the traditional cardboard egg containers?
Aren’t governments trying to get supermarkets to reduce the amount of plastic packaging used by supermarkets? In IGA’s case, the governments have failed miserably. IGA and or its suppliers have actually increased the use of plastic packaging.
Shop elsewhere I hear you advise. Well the nearest other town, which has an ALDI and a Woolies, is an 80 minute round trip. There are many residents, especially older ones, that don’t have their own means of transport. And of course there is no such thing as public transport in this and most other smallish (Population about 5k) rural towns.
It’s always disappointing when the choices offered include added packaging which is not essential to the shoppers needs.
We have a small “Local IGA” as part of the nearby village/town shops, and have shopped in others through to larger stores in major city centres.
The larger IGA’s do have greater variety including loose F&V to choose from. Our small store can meet most needs for the most commonly purchased available loose. Although our needs are currently met where possible from our garden or the local roadside fresh local F&V store.
IGA and the similar independently owned stores select which of the available lines to stock. Assuming your towns IGA is engaged with the local community - what do others say, and has anyone taken up the need for a different approach with the owner/s and manager?
My nearest supermarket is an IGA (35k round trip) next is Woolies (60k) so l normally get a WW delivery
That said, l often go to the IGA to stock up on fruit/veg which is often sub-par, especially the potatoes which always seem green to an extent. They have recently started wrapping things like capsicums, sweet potatoes in clingwrap/trays which bugs me
My local supermarkets sell loose onions as big as grapefruit, alongside plastic bags of “normal” sized onions. I usually tear open a bag and take the smaller onions I need. They are usually the same price. And I usually snap off the long stalks of the heads of broccoli before buying.
Since you live in a small town you’re probably lucky to have even an IGA, and they probably have as much trouble as you in sourcing loose fresh fruit & veg. IGA stores near me in suburban Brisbane always have an abundance of loose fruit and veg. There are two sides to most stories. Have you raised your concerns with the manager?
That said, I agree with you about the eggs.
Hi. Have you talked to them about this? I have found that talking with the people who run things in a humble and kind manner usually means they are willing to help. Or at least do what they can to meet your needs.
Look, i feel the same way and i have access to all supermarkets. Buy 5kg of potatoes and get them home cut the bag open and they are either green or some rotting…and the worse part its not worth the fuel driving back to get a refund. Lets go back to previous days when one could buy 1,2,3 or however many items you needed all in a eco friendly paper bag
