Food & Shopping

It's official we have become a nation of shoppers. A recent survey carried out in December 2005 by Deloitte showed that Irish people planned to spend the most over the Christmas period compared to their European counterparts. But shopping is not a once a year activity, when stuck for something to do at the weekend many of us head to large shopping centres on the outskirts of cities to exercise our wallets.

As consumers we have a collective power to influence what kind of products are available, a start is to become an aware shopper. Have a look at our questions below and find out how your eating and shopping habits can affect the world we live in. 

• Are you aware of the amount of packaging on the food you buy. What was the most packaged item on your weekly shop this week?
• Where have your fresh fruit and vegtables come from i.e. local, nationally, globally?
  
• Is it organic?
  
• Is it a genetically modified food?
  
• Is it a highly processed food?
  
• Can the packaging be recycled?
• Did the workers who produced the product get treated farily with a fair wage, working hours and conditions?
• Did children make the product?
  
• Is it a long life product?
  
• Do you remember to bring your own shopping bags with you to the shops?