Cheap Food Comes at a Price

"SUPERMARKET giants Coles and Woolworths are relying on cheap labour in countries such as South Africa and Thailand to deliver their burgeoning house-brand lines at the lowest prices.

An Age investigation has found Coles and Woolworths issue global tenders to produce their house-brand products such as frozen berries, pasta sauces, canned spaghetti and tinned tuna, fruit and vegetables. One in every four grocery items now sold in Australia is a supermarket-brand product.

The contracts are often filled by large overseas processors specialising in providing private-label goods for supermarkets across Europe and North America. This means the same can of diced peaches can be found on supermarket shelves in New York, London and Melbourne, just with a different label."

Read the rest of the article in yesterday's Illawarra Mercury here.

Image: "Lost In The Supermarket" by SomeInspiring Title