The Real ‘Super’ Markets

Walking through the Gembrook Market today, I enjoyed perusing the home-grown fruits and vegetables, fragrant handmade soaps and candles, colourful woollen clothes, sparkly jewellery, and smooth, wood-turned ornaments. Everyone was friendly and relaxed, enjoying the winter sunshine. A skilled quena player from Bolivia set the mood with his haunting music, and ended up becoming a new friend after some conversation in Spanish, sharing about experiences as migrants in Australia. We also got chatting with Jen from ‘Jen’s handmade soaps’ about her business and what it was like being part of the local market scene in Eastern Victoria. We left after a good hour or more there, laden with carrots, apples, lemons, honey and soap.

This was a rare day out with the leisure to browse and enjoy quality, local produce. The trap that we usually fall into in my family is that of leaving purchases of food, gifts and other products until they have run out, and then the only place open at that time that sells them is the large franchise down the road. Everything that one could possibly need is on offer in these supermarkets, discount stores, chemists and other large-scale chain stores. Items are usually sold for a reasonable price and there is a wide range from which to select one’s purchase.

But who really benefits? The original producers are far away, unknown, faceless workers who, one can only hope, are paid a fair wage for their labour. In order to produce such a large quantity of food, land and animals on the supply farms are stretched to the limit and often lose their quality as a result. The materials for non-fresh food products may come from a place entirely foreign to where they are assembled, and the owners and designers of the products sit in boardrooms in wealthy countries, planning how to reach a wide target audience with the minimum cost and the maximum profit. Foreign products are often subsidised to make them more competitive than their Australian counterparts, taking profit away from our magnificent country. The stores themselves may or may not even be owned in Australia, let alone locally, and look the same wherever you go.

To give credit where it is due, many supermarkets are now putting photos of the Australian farmers on some fresh food products. This helps to at least put a face to the food. There are also products that are certified ‘Australian made’ and ‘Australian owned’ and state that they are made by a family business. Purchases of these items do help to stop the ever-present infiltration of home brand replacements that end up closing down many a medium-sized business in favour of the franchise giants’ more ‘economical’ cheap, mass-produced versions.

In comparison with the franchises, products in local farmers’ and craft markets are unique and have a story. Every stallholder knows their wares inside out, having designed and made them themselves. Every purchase directly benefits the local community and local people, and products are often made in ways that use less chemicals and large machinery, and help to maintain skills learnt in families and community settings.

It may take more planning, browsing and may cost a little more, but can you imagine the benefit to everyone if local markets were the main place to buy and sell the items needed for everyday living? Imagine the creativity, the blossoming of small businesses, the new friendships made and the skills that would be learnt.

Could it be that local produce and craft markets are the real ‘super’ markets?

Comment time…

What would you like to buy in a local market?

What would you sell at a local market?

What is one item that you would like to learn to make yourself?

For more information see the websites below:

http://www.australianmade.com.au/why-buy-australian-made/

http://www.marketguide.com.au/vic-1.htm

http://www.whitehat.com.au/victoria/markets/marketsv.asp