The Supermarket Sleuth

CHECKOUT Taking a look at Fairtrade

This week I read further from my book CHECKOUT published in 2013 of the Fairtrade organisation.

Coles claims to have the fastest Click'nCollect service in Australia

This week we report frrom Australia, the UK and New Zealand and as we started recording a Breaking News item from the UK came in.

Magic Talk: Supermarket Sleuth investigates the impact our weather, COVID-19 and the problem at Ports of Auckland have had on our produce supplies.

Heavy rain, floods and no rain plus the impact on our exports and imports of COVID-19 and the difficulties being experienced at Ports of Auckland causing delays to our fruit imports. This is the Sleuth's segment on Magic Talk's Weekend Life on February 13.

CHECKOUT: Trends in supermarket food

The first category we look at this week is the trend of gluten free and how I became convinced that it was not a case of smoke and mirrors but that eating these products does make a difference.

The British food and drink market shrinks and do we really need Best Before?

This week we focus on the UK and find out that the British food and drink market is shrinking and that you are paying over the odds at our local Tesco and Sainsbury's convenience stores compared to their big supermarkets. We also ask the question as to whether we need Best Before on our food packaging or is it causing much confusion and leading to a lot of food going to waste that could otherwise be eaten?

Supermarket Sleuth: For the first time, Lideldisclosesits financial results

This week we feature Lidl, Aldi, Product of the Year results and Ocado's latest environmentally-free delivery vehicles

Supermarket Sleuth onMagic Talk's Weekend Life

This week he talks about the supply chain problems that could impact availability and prices on our supermarket shelves; the stage that the Commerce Commission investigbation into New Zealand's supermarket industry has reached; and Farro's plan to open three more store this year to bring total up to 9.

CHECKOUT:Moving on to talk about the Sales and Market Agencies

These SMAs - as they are known in the industry - either represent ov3erseas suppliers with no staff in this country or smaller manufacturers who cannot afford to employ sales and marketing staff.

Supermarket Sleutgh: The problems we are likely to be facing in our supermarkets

Between Australia, New Zealand and the UK, it is the UK that's facing the greater problems. What with COVID-19 and Brexit, gettting product on supermarket shelves from overseas is likely to become more and more difficult. The two other countries face similar probolems for imports due to COVID. We also learn about a new food production factory operating out of a shipping container.

Supermarket Sleuth on Magic Talk radio, New Zealand

The Sleuth discusses why one of the country's billionaires should be buying land for a new chain store's supermarket and questions the safety of mobility scooters in supermarket aisles.