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We have been called a Nation of Animal Lover, but many people differentiate between animals such as dogs and cats, which they consider to be pets and animals reared for food.

As was remarked in earlier posts many people say that they cannot afford organic food.   But many of those who say this do their shopping at one of the big supermarkets, where organic food certainly is dearer.

But if they were able to get it from Farmers’ Markets, as I do, they would find that it was no dearer than than conventional food from the supermarket.  But many people do care about how their food is grown and are prepared to do something about it.

This was proved last summer by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall who 10 years ago had moved South and set up in the business of rearing his food organically, cooking it and selling it and in the process persuaded his local town to support him in his campaign to improve the lot of chickens, which is said to be Britain’s favourite meat.

This was broadcast on one of our TV Channels and as result of seeing how they were reared people reacted and supermarkets nationwide sold out of free-range chicken.    The outcome was that the poultry industry rushed to cope with the demand.

This lead to an initiative where less birds where put into sheds and they were able to run around, fly, peck at things provided for them.   They also do not have to stand in their own droppings.   Many of our supermarkets are now only selling birds reared in this way.   But not Britain’s biggest retailer, Tesco.   Hugh tried to persuade them to talk to him and kept on being refused.  So he decided to adopt a different approach.

What he did was buy a share in Tesco’s so he could attend their AGM.   This was how the series aired last year ended.   But on Monday 26 January we were told what happened afterwards.  He found out that he needed a certain number of people to back him before he could present the petition.

After being turned down by the business people he turned to such organisations as Compassion in Farming, etc.   They did back him and he was able to present the petition to Tesco’s Head Office.

Their answer was to email him telling him to pay the postage or they would not mail their shareholders.   They wanted him to drop.  No way, he said, and set up a web site explaining the position.   He was able to raise the whole amount.   But this was still not enough for Tesco’s.   They then moved the goal posts and said that he had to get 75% of the shareholders to agree.

He attended and spoke to the shareholders.   Many thought that he would not have too much support, but had to admit they were surprised at the level of support he attracted.   10% of those who were there supported him and another 9% abstained, which meant in effect that they supported him, making it nearly 20%, i.e. 1 in 5.

In the programme on the 26th January Hugh revisits Hayley, a single mother who had continued to buy cheap mass-produced chicken.  But Hugh persuade her to visit a farm where both methods were used.  After doing so she  decided  to buy the ethically reared bird, much to the approval of Hugh.