I did tell Matt Withers from the Wales on Sunday that I would be reading other newspapers apart from the Independent in future, after his jibe in one of last year's Spin Doctor articles with regards this issue, but unfortunately I succumbed to the temptation, and bought a copy this Sunday...
I read with interest the article about Jamie Oliver, and the attack on him by Animal Welfare campaigners who state that he is a hypocrite for accepting money from Sainsbury's while at the same time criticising the way that most Supermarkets rear their battery farm chickens in awful conditions. This criticism doesn't come from thin air- it is in the context of Jamie Oliver's new programme on the condition of factories rearing chickens to sell to Supermarkets, and the quality of meat from such suppliers.
As a vegetarian I find the practise of placing chickens in contained spaces with little room to move, and with little care for their well being wholly unacceptable, and am saddened that this has been allowed to continue. While I recognise the work that Jamie Oliver has done in promoting healthy food and healthy living, I do sympathise with the animal welfare groups who contest that Oliver should shun his lucrative deal with Sainsbury's if he is serious about making a difference to the way animals are bred. Saying that he is having 'conversations' with Supermarket bosses is not good enough. These companies make billions of pounds worth of profit from us a year, and changing their practises in this field would not be a hindrance to the development of their services.
Like most celebrities these days, Jamie Oliver has seen an opportunity to make money advertising Supermarket produce, and this has seemingly been prioritised over the work that he is doing to promote all things organic and fair. One only has to mention Carol Voredman's name to know that she will promote almost anything- including some questionable loan companies...
People say that politicians must practise what they preach, and this I agree with. In the age of celebrity, this must also be the case for the percentage of the population who need never worry about even going shopping for themselves again, let alone shop in Sainsbury's.
2 comments:
I can see what your saying but I would think its more damaging for Sainsbury's to have one of the people they pay a great deal of money to endorse them publicly criticising them. Hopefully something will change as a result!
I agree with the above comment. Additionally, often tackling issues from the inside, as it were, can be more useful than otherwise.
I commend Oliver for making a difference, but yes, he needs to check his decisions are all in keeping with what he preaches.
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