Aside from the fact that few farmers markets carry kitchen stapes like flour, sugar and various spices, we don't need to shop at supermarkets to eat - or to eat well, for that matter. To illustrate this point, a British woman - Katie Austin, 23 - is giving up supermarkets for Lent, a Christian tradition that usually involves making a personal sacrifice during the 40 days before Easter. The reason for her decision to abstain from supermarket shopping is that she "believes in supporting small retailers and local producers," although she says that she is currently "dependent on the big supermarket chains" and can spend up to £100 per week in them. Flour and baking powder aside, the harder task might be trying to find non-food kitchen staples like plastic wrap and parchment paper without heading to the supermarket, but Austin, who is an avid cook, feels that she is up to the challenge.
Do you think that you could give up supermarkets entirely, even if just for a few weeks, or would you miss the convenience and variety offered by megamarts over small, local retailers?
