The outrage over horse and pig meat in burgers (and what else?) is entirely warranted and, once the realisation has sunk in, it is clear that something like this could have been expected. Commercial values and behaviour haven’t changed much - if at all - since the BSE/CJD crisis where animals were fed remains from their own species - all driven by profit greed, cost cutting, inadequate inspection and regulation and a complete lack of moral values and respect for the consumer.
To this is now added yet another wonder of globalisation where what passes for food can come from all over the place instead of being sourced locally and more easily traced. The regulation, such as it was, was of the ‘light touch’ variety beloved of the world of low finance. It was set to get still lighter, or at least even more confused. Perhaps minds will be changed, if only for a little while until it is assumed that punters and voting fodder can be assumed to have forgotten.
Regulation of many private sector dominated industries, particularly those with a consumer focus, needs to be tightened up rather than loosened – as does tax collection. And this goes well beyond banking and food and beverage retailing. Any future easement should only follow a clear demonstration that proper respect is being shown towards ordinary consumers rather than their being treated with contempt such as the recently quoted example of air passengers being referred to as ‘self-loading freight’.
But back to those disgusting burgers – although maybe not just yet. Tesco – don’t apologise and expect to have gotten away with it, change your values and your behaviour and prove to us that you’ve done so. Start respecting customers and stop piling the profit-derived pressure on farmers and food suppliers to meet unrealistic, dangerous and ill considered price reductions. Show some respect for people as well as mammon – then perhaps you’ll deserve to get some of your lost business back.
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