FightBack

A short story of a
LONG battle ahead

Have your say about the issues you see affecting Australian producers.

E-mail editor@fightbacknews.com.au to post your question or letter, or to respond to one of our posts.

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No I would not buy bread even one week old. Aren't we already killing ourselves & families with the preservatives etc in the world why do we have to follow everything that happens overseas.  Leave the bread as is.

Sue Murray

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Thanks so much for being different. I love that you take a stand against the rapacious behaviour of some of our supermarkets. Its timetake the next step and show you are even better and different

Take a stand against unnecessary packaging. Even in your stores there is too much waste. Please use your power to make change.

Your children will thank you.

Convenience and cost are not acceptable excuses for trashing our only planet.

Mark Waller

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How pleased I was to see on the cover of 'Fight Back News' the words PALM OIL! 

First became aware of the tragic side effects of Palm Oil whilst on a day trip to Melbourne Zoo in February of 2009. It is of no surprise to see the major concern of correct labelling for Palm Oil is money!!!

Must we continue to allow Palm Oil to rule over the environment, the Orang-utans, the future of the planet.

Palm Oil is unfortunately in most of Safeway/ Coles bakery products, in many of the juices we drink, the processed foods we consume. 

At least if forced to label the use of Palm Oil, those of us aware can choose to leave these damaging products on the shelves.

Thank you for raising an issue that is so under recognised. Would hope that many have read your article and have taken precautions to look at products already labelling Palm Oil use.   

Hope we win the fight to have products labelled no matter what the economic cost!

One must wonder if perhaps use of a non impact oil would end up being more economical? Would certainly help the orang-utans, the forests and the future!

Thank you

Lauren 

Yes, palm oil labelling would definitely change my buying habits.

I check products that I buy now to see if they contain palm oil.

I would prefer to know if the products that I buy contain palm oil and

then I could make an informed decision and choose not to buy products containing palm oil.

Regards

Claire Scriven-Walter

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The disclosure of palm oil in products is vital. As an ABC presenter I have had many discussions on  this topic on my programme, several with Senator Nick Xenophon, who is a brilliant campaigner. Adelaide Zoo now only sells palm oil free products, ice cream etc etc.When people know the realities of using pam oil they will change their shopping habits, just as they did with buying free range eggs. Information is everything.

Regards

Carole Whitelock

Dear Ed,

I have been watching what is happening in the USA with the GM crops and how it is sneakily put into the food supply there, without labelling.

The large food manufacturers do not label GMO's in USA; and did you know that their GMO lobbiests (Monsanto) had the gall to come to Australia and lobby our 'Parliament' that it would be a waste of production time to label goods GMO.

Do we want GMO's in our food; that's like saying do we want to die a slow lingering death. GMO's  are beggining to have some hellish health problems in the USA, with productive organ problems, and other organs mal-functioning.  All animal laboratory testing was stopped, when the scientists found whatwas happening to the offspring (mal-formed & or aborted) of the animals being fed GMO's. 

The scientists were warned & gagged from speaking to the media.  So 'No I Would Not Like To Have GMO's In My Food' thank you, and all GMO's must be labelled, for the simple reason I wouldn't be very happy standing-in for guinea pigs, rats, or cattle.

We are NOT laboratory animals; but they sure want to treat us as such!

Yours Truly, Dorothy. 

Yes, Yes, Yes, make the producers be accountable so that potential customers will know whether we want to buy their product or not based on the origin of the content.  If I knew certain products contained palm oil I would not buy them and that's not want the money hungry brands want now is it??

Soap, toothpaste, biscuits, nuts, crackers, cereals we all buy and we all have a right to know.

Caveat Emptor....buyer beware...but how can we be if the information is not forthcoming and disguised with misleading labelling.

I visited Borneo 20 years ago and the desimation over rainforests then was just devastating...I couldn't bear to see it now now can I comprehend that by 2020 on 2% will remain and this is driven by our uneducated consumerism.  Inform, Educate and give people choices based on information.

Regards

Glenys Perri

Perhaps bigger problems with palm oil are obesity and heart disease.  Surely health issues override trade considerations.

The Heart Foundation provides a lot of information on these matters, particularly why palm oil should be avoided.  The AFGC claims also lack credibility considering that NZ is now a conduit for repackaging
goods from China and labelling them as products of NZ.

Bob Richardson

Adelaide 

Go Senator Nick Xenophon !!!!!!!

As a consumer l should have the right to knowledge to learn and make informed choices there are no ifs or buts about it.

I don’t want to be involved in using palm oil or any other products which causes destruction of an entire species habitat.

I don’t want to be used and unknowingly supporting things l dont believe I have bought Tim Tams and Arnotts shapes in the past, not knowing about the products! l know now that it will not happen again.

Thankyou.

Bugger the AFGC. I am absolutely disgusted.

Hi folks, Dave here in Melbourne just doing a quick email reference to your question ‘would I eat GM wheat?’

First I would like to start by saying a few months back I saw an Uncle Toby’s Porridge ad on TV where-by the farmer was talking about quality & yield of his crop & the way it had been selected for these reasons. After watching this a few times it prompted me to seek out the parent company (being Nestle) as to whether or not they were in fact growing GM oats.

The lady on the phone basically was rather vague but explained it was more to do with improvement by selection of good quality seed till they end up with some thing that does well in our climate and so on, which is not modifying genetics. I accepted her statement but went on to ask would Nestle in fact advise on their packaging if they were using GM crops to which she volunteered to post out Nestle's policy regarding such matters.

Well, to make a long story short it basically stated that they would mark it in accordance with government dictates, there are no government dictates or any stipulation saying it must be marked, it is the same scenario in the USA except they have a few celebs that are fighting to have all GM products marked ,Chuck Norris being one of them [martial arts actor].

I would bet my bottom dollar we are eating it already, either in pastas, pastries or indeed meat products that have been reared on it, even farmed fish & eggs. They give them the cheapest feed they can find...

Dave, Melbourne 

Yes having Palm Oil labelled on products would certainly make me more aware when I am shopping.

These beautiful creatures cannot fight to save their own environment being destroyed by us greedy humans. So those who do care about their future must do it for them.

Leonie

Thanks for asking!

I would not eat or feed my family anything that has the potential to harm and my understanding of GM produce is that the food products have not been sufficiently tested to prove otherwise.

There are no long term studies on animals, the environment or the soil.  Lets do the studies first, I for one still need to be convinced.

Corina

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I would like to say that I would like to know if Palm Oil is in any of the products I buy.  That way I can decide to not buy them.

I do hope the government gets to and sorts out this problem before we lose all our lovely forests in Sumatra and Borneo and mostly for our wonderful orangutans.  It would be a shame that they would only be seen in Zoos if this is not stopped.

I look forward to reading more in the Fightback paper. 

Yours Laura Mackay. 

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Question: Would having Palm Oil labelled on products change your buying habits?

Absolutely....our family already has changed what we buy after seeing a program about palm oil. No more Corinthian biscuits at Christmas. It makes it hard to change when labelling is misleading.

Go Nick Xenophon!

Kind regards

Gail Macpherson 

Dear sir/madam,

I would never choose to eat any genetically modified foods, but the problem is how will you be able to tell? There will always be loopholes in food labelling laws and GM crops will completely contaminate natural wheat crops, that’s the way Monsanto has engineered them. The plan of course is to control all our food resources.

Why does our government allow this, when it is a fact that GM crops ruin the entire ecological balance? Other countries won’t allow it, but our government is happy to allow our major food crop to be completely ruined and the livelihood of Australian wheat farmers along with it.

I smell a rat!!! Stand up Australia and fight back, before it’s too late!

 Deb. 

To the editor,

I would change my buying habits if palm oil was to be put on the labels because not only is it bad for the environment it is also bad for my health. It is one of the worst oils for cholesterol build up. With a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease, I need to do what I can to stay healthy. So knowing if there is palm oil in the product or not, would help and I would avoid buying such products. 

Hello,

I would not purchase GM products and it should be the consumers right to know what they are buying.  GM ingredients should be on all product labels, no matter how small.  There are too many unanswered questions about GM testing if any and the conventional farmers dont have the protection if their GM free crops get contaminated.

Is palm oil not labeled on products? I would think that it should be.  If not, why not?  I would not purchase the product knowing that deforestation is occuring as a result. 

Thank you for a very informative read in your magazine.

Regards,

Leigh Price

Dear Sir,

We would definitely NOT buy any product that we knew had palm oil in. I buy my soaps from farmers markets where I know the vendors and that there is no palm oil in their products.

We also do not buy anything that we know has canola oil in it.

It is a very informative magazine. Keep up the good work.

Yours sincerely Victoria and Allen Wood. 

Dear Editor,

I find it most disturbing that food is not labelled to ensure that consumers know the source of the oil found in the food we eat. Surely, in this world of “choice”, green electricity , unleaded petrol etc we should be given the choice to say if we want this oil in our food. I do not believe that very many people would want palm oil in their Tim Tam’s or anything else if it meant that the beautiful Orang-utans were made extince. I urge you to please ensure that we are made aware of the use of palm oil in our food.

Thanks You for your involvement in this urgent cause.

Eleanor  Donaghy 

Dear Fight back news,

If Palm oil was labelled on foods products I would simply not buy the items. The statistics of Orangutan deaths and deforestation is outrageous and should be lowered immediately.

Malaysian forests are vital to the survival of our planet, they are home to thousands of animals and without them, we could have a serious climate problem on our hands.

Orangutans are gentle creatures who have no way to defend themselves, so we must do it for them.

Regards,

Alice 

I would absolutely stop using any products that use palm oil. It is extremely difficult at the moment to avoid it as nothing is labeled with its true ingredients, usually labeled as vegetable oil.

It makes me so sad every time I hear of our destruction of our planet and its inhabitants. We need to work towards a more sustainable way of life so that animals like orangutans have a bright future instead of probable extinction. It might sound harsh but I believe humans are parasites on this planet and the earth would be far better off without us.

The big reason the Food and Grocery Industry don't want the new laws implemented would be because they know it would affect their sales and a more expensive alternative would have to be used. Hopefully this alternative would be more sustainable?

Thanks

L. Black

Hi there,

I have a Ritchies Community Benefit card and I also believe in diminishing food miles and buying local produce.  With that in mind I would never never eat anything that was genetically modified.

Meddling with Nature leads to disaster.  We've seen that every time we introduce a new species where it doesn't belong.  Have enough tests been done?  No.  Have the genetically modified variations escaped, thus contaminating neighbouring crops?  Yes.   Are we losing heritage plants? Yes.

I do not believe in copyrighting genes, so that they belong to one company.  It is a cynical exercise.  I do not believe in my health being put to risk for the monetary gain of faceless people here and on the other side of the world.  What happens now will affect the future and I would like to act responsibly.

I appreciate your doing this survey.

Yours sincerely,
Jutta Goetze

I love the list of Australian owned brands – I will definitely be using it when I do my shopping.

Great article on Palm oil – I would definitely change my shopping habits to help save the orang-utans and the rainforests.

Cheers,
Donna Newbound  

I’d just like to write in my opinion about genetically modified food. I would certainly NEVER eat genetically modified wheat or ANY GM food. I believe GM Food should be clearly labelled.

It’s effects are under researched and largely unknown. Its irreversible, has ridiculously high rates of contamination, cross family and even cross species contamination.

It is driven by one company who has its patent and the company clearly has profits as its only goal. Do not believe the hype about “ensuring future food security” as there is ample food being produced the world over, the issue is food distribution and international food policy.

There is enough food wasted to feed the world...

Shona

The argument from the GM companies regarding the safety of consuming GM products has always been that they are apparently so highly refined (like canola oil), that by the time we eat it, it no longer contains any valid proteins and so therefore is completely safe for human consumption.

Now all of a sudden, GM wheat is to be trialled and will be consumed in such things as breads, so therefore not highly refined and still containing the GM proteins.  There are absolutely no independant, inter-generational scientific studies to show that this is safe for us to eat. 

My family and I will not be the human guinea pigs for multinational companies playing god. 

GM wheat - NO WAY.

Tracy Lansdell

Personally I am NOT happy with the GM crops that are trialled in Australia.

What is the government research organisation doing by allowing this to continue and ruin Australia's claim to clean & green.

They probably were paid off to allow this nonsense to continue.

If our competitors for wheat have rejected GM, so why are we still doing it?

It should be mandatory to list all GM products on the lable, and not kowtow to global biotech companies.

Maria Kanas 

I can categorically state that I would never eat GM wheat and would strongly advise anyone with whom I come in contact to avoid it like the plague.  

No research has ever been done on its safety and why on earth would we want to eat something which is contaminated by a substance (Round-up) that destroys health, and thus causes ill-health, as well as causing birth defects and innumerable other problems.  It is an unmitigated disaster and will destroy our agriculture and our food supply for years to come.

Yours faithfully
Mrs Mary Paul

One of the great advantages of independent supermarkets is their ability to source local products and to listen to the concerns of their customers. Furthermore, they are not subject to dictates  from head office, as are the two majors, as to what they may or may not sell. I urge your members to ask us, your customers, whether they want to eat GM wheat.

So many people in other countries have indicated their unwillingness to eat products containing GM wheat that we in Australia are in danger of being the world's guinea pigs for this food. There is talk of safety testing on humans but the proposal I saw talked in terms of a one day trial. Not even the most avid opponent of GM foods would aver that the products are so toxic that that their harmful effects can be seen in a day. It is obvious that any negative effects will be long-term and cumulative.

If the current FSANZ indisposition to mandate labelling of GM foods remains there will be no way of pinning any negative effects in the population on the eating of GM wheat.

Please ask consumers whether they want to eat goods made from GM wheat.

Robin Trouchet 

Dear Sir/Madam,
 
GM is avoided in our family and if there is doubt about GM product being contained in an item we would not purchase it.  Preferably we would shop in outlets without any GM, but at a minimum would require clear, unambiguous labelling on products to distinguish those that contain GM products and those that don't.
 
Regards,
 
Rob Cros  

Please do not stock products which could contain GM wheat or other GM products where it is not clearly indicated. I am a regular IGA shopper and would like it best if IGA chose not to stock any products with GM content.

Regards, 

Diane Evers 

Dear Editor,

I know that the GM food issue is so complicated that most people don't have a clue as to which side of the issue to take a stand on. If they only knew of all the Machiavellian moves that the agricorporations are making behind their backs counting on just such complexity to hide behind. If they were really fair they would allow their so-called "food" to be labelled, but they won't, because they know it would be rejected, and they would be out of business.

They are definitely hiding shoddy research and hoping we are none the wiser.

Ruth 

Hi, 

We try to avoid food products that have Palm Oil in them but it is very hard to choose when most Products only have the Generic term “Vegetable Oil” on their contents label. Vegetable Oil could mean virtually any type of oil.

I believe it should be mandatory to have the specific contents and quantities labelled on all food product sold in Australia. We do and would continue to avoid foods that contain Palm Oil.

At the moment we avoid every product that uses the generic term Vegetable Oil.

This means that the products that do not use Palm Oil are missing out on sales.

Regards Morry & Liesl Leyland

Dear Editor,

In response to the question as to whether I would eat GM wheat the answer is a resounding NO! 

I make every attempt to avoid GM based foods, by buying brands that are in the True Food Guide's green list. It is fantastic that IGA has taken a positive stand to also avoid GM ingredients, and that is why I am able to shop with confidence in IGA and purchase home brands knowing this.

I also buy certified organic products, and the fact that IGA has a good range also makes shopping easier. 

So to get back to the question of GM wheat I would not eat it, nor feed it to my family, friends or even my worst enemy as playing 'God' with genes is unpredictable and the GM foods that exist are untested and unlabelled and mostly unavoidable. Independent research has revealed very worrying health problems that we may already be seeing in us, such as a rise in allergies, cancers, infertility and the like.

So thank you IGA for enabling your customers the opportunity to have that choice to avoid GM foods. 

We can only hope that the introduction of GM labelling will relegate GM wheat to the bin, and non GM varieties will be promoted.

Regards,  

Janet Grogan  

Dear Editor, 

In response to your question, I and my family would not eat products containing G.M. wheat.  

The only real way of fully testing G.M. products is by human consumption and nothing to date has convinced us of their long term safety. For us, genetic modification of food elements is the wrong way to go. The risks are far too great, particularly when there are other safe ways of improving yield. 

Thank you for the opportunity to give our position on this very seriously important subject.

Yours sincerely,  
Margaret Howard    

Dear Editor,

CSIRO was in the process of growing GM wheat to start trials on pigs and rat and were going to move on to humans later in the year. The modified wheat has been altered to lower its glycaemic index in an attempt to see if the grain could have health benefits such as improving blood glucose control and lowering cholesterol levels. Isn't this just taking responsibility away from everyone to look after their own health? This will also give the fast food industry a good boost when people think that they are eating GM wheat is healthy. Obesity and other diseases link with it will not go away. The population has to be taught to look after their own health and how to cook healthy meal and stop relying on ready made meals and fast foods.

Wheat itself has been so much altered through selective breeding over the last hundreds of years that many people these days are allergic to it. What will GM wheat do to us?
 
Kind regards
May-Ring Chen 

Can you register me on the poll "Would you eat GM wheat?" as a definite NO! I would love IGA to say publicly that they will not sell bread with GM wheat. I already only shop at IGA as I love the way that you stock specialised foreign foods and have an organic range that is much bigger than any other supermarket, but I think the GM wheat issue will make it the clincher for a lot of people. It would be good if you removed GM cotton/soy/canola from your black and gold range too.

NO a huge NO!!!!! I started educating myself some time ago about GM food and now try to keep up with what now contains GM products and avoid them like the plague. I am so glad you are actually asking the question and not just doing it!!!!!  So PLEASE if you do decide to go ahead - which I sincerely hope your conscience doesn’t let you – at least make it very clear with your products so that people have a choice!!!!!
 
Regards, 

Trish

Dear Editor,

My reason for rejecting Genetically Engineered wheat: Genetically Engineered crops will compete against millions of years of natural evolution. They have already precipitated super weeds, next will come super grasses and more pesticides to control them.

Nature got it right first. We don't need GM foods.

Daisy Burton

Would you eat genetically modified wheat? 

No, I would not. Food that comes from a laboratory or a factory should raise alarm bell.

That is a diet so unnatural and far fetch from our thousands and millions of years of evolution.

Since the birth of nutritional science and the consumption of processed food, we have more health problems than ever. People have been eating fresh food and crops naturally cultivated food for thousands of years happily and healthily. Farmers been growing food without the knowledge of pH, micronutrients etc successfully , how did they do that? Because plants naturally grow if the condition is right. When we try to be scientific and pick things apart, trying to go against nature and creates life in an unnatural way, that’s when things will go wrong.

Genetically modification is as far from natural breeding as one could be. If a plant will breed naturally that way, it would have occurred in the wild already. There’s a lack of understanding in the process  of gene manipulation, it is the building block of life and because somebody wants to make big bugs out of it, we all become a giant experiment that will doom to fail.

Unfortunately farmers were brain washed to believe that GM is the same as hybridization that has been sped up. Unfortunately they have been lied to .  All they need to see is which party has vested interest.

I do not eat genetically modified food. Everything is freshly picked from my garden. Bread and pasta made from organic wheat that I mill.

Organic is the way forward, not GM!

Dear Editor
 
We are strongly opposed to GM wheat or any other GM foods.  There is no long range study showing they are safe – such a study would take at least two generations of humans to prove. GM seeds are greedy, destructive invaders which are able to cross-pollinate with conventional and organic crops, and thereby render them impure.
 
We take great care to eat only organic or conventional foods and should not have our right to this choice removed by the growing of GM crops. Forcing the eventual monopoly of GM seeds and their subsequent food crops on to all Australian consumers has no place in Australian farming.
 
To repeat, GM foods must not be allowed here, as they insidiously eventually remove our choice.
 
Regards,     

R. Davies 

Hi,

I enjoy your magazine.  I would not buy or eat anything that is Genetically Modified. The CSIRO have made some huge blunders in the past, and the health and well being of my Grandchildren, is not one I am willing to risk.

Thanking You,

Keep up the Good Work.

Cheers, Delma    

I would very definitely change my buying habits if I knew a certain product contained palm oil.   

I have flown over areas where deforestation has occurred to allow for acres and acres of palm oil plants, and it is a frightening and sad thing to see.   

Robin Irwin 

Having palm oil labelled on products would definitely change my buying habits.

On the weekend my girlfriend bought what I thought were prawn crackers, but they were actually shrimp crackers. Out of curiosity, I looked at the label and discovered they were from Korea and had palm oil in them. I explained to my girlfriend about palm oil and she said she didn't know what havoc this industry was causing, but from now on she would avoid products containing this substance.

The consumer has a right to know what he or she is buying and eating, and where it comes from. I was very concerned when I read your article saying that orangutans could be extinct within 20 years.

Give consumers the choice and we can assist the fight to keep this wonderful species alive.

John Lafferty.   

Hi,

First time reader of your magazine, edition 83 August 2011, from my Boundy’s IGA North Essendon store. Well done, especially the ‘Australian Owned Brands Guide’.

Labelling the palm Oil product soap definitely changed my buying habit, I found ‘Country Life’ soap bars with the ‘no palm oil’ label and they won me.

I will now not buy Arnott’s shape’s, don’t like ‘Tim Tams’ anyway!  If I can do my bit to help these amazing orangutans and regenerate their habitat I will.

Label everything and push the harm that palm oil does, not only the decline in the orangutans forests but bulging human waistlines.

Beverley Baker

Hello

I've just read your article on palm oil and would very strongly like be told on labelling if the product contains palm oil because I would not purchase such a product.

Regards,
Susan Finney​

Labeling of palm oil in products would definitely change my buying habits. I strongly oppose the use of palm oil, mainly because of the amount of orangutans that die, but find it hard to know which foods contain it.

Palm oil labeling would be wonderful. 

Kind regards  

Melissa Gray 

Dear editor,

Yes I would like palm oil to be labelled clearly on all products. I believe that deforestation is affecting our climate, also I am concerned about the wildlife losing it's habitate but also I don't believe that palm oil is good for us and would try to avoid it whenever possible. I am sick of the world being ruled by the richest who don't care about anything except more and more and more for themselves.

Molly  

How can it be legal to state on a package "made in Australia from local and imported materials"? This tells you that its possible the container was made in australia and the product anywhere else.

Any company that deliberately misleads its customers in this way should be treated with contempt and its up to each of us to refuse to purchase that company's goods. The only reason that any company would use this form of labelling is to hide information that is detrimental to their sales.

They do it because they can, what are you going to do?

With kind regards Peter

Just read in a local paper you are looking at building a Supermarket in Mclean, NSW. So hope you get there. I live in Grafton, and Auldi is the only opposition against the 2 big ones. I shop in Ritches when in Coffs, and wish we had IGA here. Good luck in your bid to build in Mclean. Give WW & Coles a run for their money. And keep up with Australian Brands.

Natalie

Must commend you and all concerned for such an informative/interesting publication. A real credit to you. I pass my copy on to neighbours/friends, and encourage them to support Foodland, of course.. To whom it may concern, We read every label and always try to buy Australian. My family and I enjoy FightBack Magazine immensely. I think a lot of people (after these past couple of weeks) can do nothing but Fight Back.

Buy Australian. It is sure to help.

Sandra Nicholls

Thank you for including in the December edition of Fightback the article on Palm oil and orangutans. It is an issue I feel great concern about and it is foremost in my mind when shopping in supermarkets. I believe the labelling laws are inadequate, when I buy a product with oil in it I want to no what kind of oil it is. I think consumers deserve to know. Fightback is doing a terrific job helping consumers inform themselves.

Ms Renyon - Wellers Hill

Thought I would just enquire about the amount of MSG in our foods masquerading as flavour, natural flavour, Hydrolized vegetable protein and various other labels other than MSG 621. I have a child who is allergic to MSG. Labeling appears to be misleading. MSG is not a flavour, apparently, it has no flavour. It is able to be renamed, if it is less than 100% pure MSG. It is an excitotoxin which tricks the brain into enjoying the taste of the product. It can be found in most manufactured goods including mixed beverages. How can we get this product out of our food supply? Or label foods so we the consumer know what we are consuming. How much is a RDA recommended daily allowance? (MSG is also found in vaccines - this product appears to be used indiscriminately.)

Regards, AM Heath

Firstly, let me commend you on Fight Back magazine - a much needed guide in these ever changing times for the thinking consumer.

In your December 2010 edition, you note that Coles have instructed their suppliers to provide sow stall-free port from 2011, with their reason being that customers "have apparently been increasingly interested in welfare". In your next paragraph, you say that suppliers deny this interest in their animals welfare.

Let me inform you that it most definitely is true. Compassionate people have been fighting for a return to more humane methods of farming and meat and egg production for decades now and this move by Coles is a major victory in this battle. While it is easier and cheaper for egg and meat suppliers to jam their animals together in the most inhumane and disgusting conditions, a growing body of more educated and caring consumers now see this as unjustifiable and demand change.

That Coles has recognized this and has acted upon it is commendable. It is hoped that in the not too distant future, all intensive farming practices will be abolished in the light of an era of recognition of the rights of other sentient creatures to be farmed without constant pain, frustration and denial of natural instincts.

Yours sincerely,
Catherine Whittington (Mrs.)
Dernancourt SA.

Just looked at your FightBack magazine and I was very impressed with the content. My IGA always has great specials and the staff are more than polite - time and time again I prefer to go to my local IGA than the bigger stores because of the great service and the staff actually say HELLO!!!!

Lois - Manly, QLD

Having recently arrived in Australia from the UK, I must congratulate you on introducing me to my latest exciting discovery, your FIGHTBACK magazine. The breadth of the articles in the September issue immediately captured my interest. I found the issues on healthy diets and food, world obesity, brewing and soft drinks industry, foreign ownership of iconic brands and anti competitive practices of the major supermarket chains fascinating and similar to the problems facing the UK consumer. I will continue to shop at my local IGA with added enthusiasm. Keep up the splendid work.

Simon - Mansfield, QLD

Not sure if you are over 'letters of praise', but I had to let you know just how much impact your latest issue has made to my family.

Definitely an Aussie-made supporter and a battler with weight. EVERY story in Edition 76 made simple 'practical' sense of how I can gain more control of developing and maintaining healthy eating habits. What I buy, cook and eat has a huge impact on my health and family's health.

To sum up your publication in three simple words... "awesome, awesome, awesome"! Thanks.

Alex - Terrigal, NSW

Congratulations on this excellent free publication which is the first edition I have seen.

This edition (76) has some excellent articles on obesity and, of particular interest to me, on the role of sugar. "Death By Sugar" is right in that we eat a lot of unnecessary sugar, but misses the point that it's the fructose component of sucrose (cane sugar) which does the damage. Fructose is the only carbohydrate we ingest which is not converted to glucose. It goes straight to the liver where nearly all of it is immediately converted to fat. A small amount is used to enable the cells to absorb glucose from the blood.

This has numerous other deleterious effects on our health including suppression of our appetite control system, destruction of the insulin producing elements of the pancreas (leading to Type II diabetes) to name just a couple.

I would like to suggest that you do the research and devote a future article to this vitally important subject. A good place to start is www.sweetpoison.com.au where the basic information is available in language the man-in-the-street can understand.

Thanks again for a great mag. And more strength to your elbow in promoting the cause of buying Australian owned grocery products.

John - Wauchope, NSW

G'day,

Go to the Internet and search for "Sugar Blues" a book about the history and politics of sugar that EVERYBODY should read if they want to be healthy.

Cheers,

LEONARD CLAMPETT

Thanks for an informative mag. I'm very concerned about foreign ownership (while I realise that your efforts are focused on produce, I note that a coal mine (Centennial Coal) is currently being taken over by a Thai company (Banpu) and this Coal company supplies nearly 50% of NSW's coal energy needs!

Alison Dunne

 

Hi. After seeing some conditions in so called 'sweatshops', I would rather buy 'Australian made' clothes - but it's hard to find anything with a areasonable price. For example, with Supre it's seasonal with what is 'Australian made' - and often it's just 'Australian designed'. What's the deal with brands like 'Billabong' or 'Rip Curl'?

Hope you've got some useful advice.

Cheers - Anna

As a pensioner, I am very conscious of pricing of my basic shopping items.

At the same time, I am also very conscious of foreign ownership of our food manufacturers, and have been very conscientious in trying my best to buy Aussie.

To that end, I was unaware of IGA's commitment to 'Australian Made' items, as I was using ALDI because they had commitment to having a large proportion of their goods manufactured by Australian Manufacturers.

I stopped in at my local IGA 2 day ago, and was BLOWN AWAY by your FIGHTBACK magazine, and your commitment to BUY OZ, etc.

I read FIGHTBACK (the first I'd seen), cover to cover, and was excited to see the prominent advertising of OZ Brands that I'd never known about, and your promotion of them.

I get the immediate feeling that you have the right balance for Australia. A vehicle for Local Product promotion, extensive network of stores,competitive pricing, good store layouts, friendly staff etc (Woolies staff are only becoming friendly now, because they have to).

TIP: In Aldi, their weekly catalogue is PROMOTED by the checkout operator, and PROMINENTLY PRESENTED in a perspex case at the checkout. If you were to 1. PRESENT your weekly catalogue, AND FIGHTBACK PROMINENTLY, instead of just leaving them lying around for customers to 'find' (if they were so inclined), and 2. Retrain staff to ACTIVELY PROMOTE to include them both in the shopper's purchases during packing, I'm sure both your objectives of bringing customers back through loyalty/brand awareness, and range, pricing/competitiveness would be achieved.

I am only a disability support pensioner, and my spend is limited to the basics, but I will endeavour to give all the $$$ I was giving to ALDI and Woolies, to you.

Thanks again for FIGHTBACK.

Continued success. You have my unconditional support.

Thanks - Rahim

While not a a manufacturer of products most households purchase, Humes Limited was once a great Australian Concrete Products company and a world leader in Spun Concrete Pipe technology and innovator. Tragically CSR bought the Company in 1988 with its CEO and Directors thinking that, Readymix, a materials processor, which they already owned, could manage and supply all the technical expertise needed by a product manufacturer. This was akin to placing BHP engineers in control of say GMH because they knew about steel. (After a year I was engaged for another nine as a contracting consultant as were many other technical colleagues who had been retrenched.)

Eventually when the company was considerably diminished it was sold off to a US company and subsequently I believe to a Mexican one. It is but a shell of what it once was, owning plants overseas and licencing technology to companies in many countries including Iraq and Saudi Arabia.

If you were to research this sorry tale I'm sure it would resonate with many as, 'You don't know what you've got till it's gone', and be a wake up call to managers of Australian companies, to know what they are managing and treasure it.

Sincerely,
John - Ringwood East, VIC

 

 

Below is a copy of an email I sent to Woolies.
25th August 2010

I'm letting your management know that today was the final straw for me. I take great exception at your policies when it comes to the product range available. Today I was informed that the only cheese my husband will eat is no longer stocked.

I'm disgusted at the infiltration of products NOT made in Australia - eg. butter & cheese from NZ. I have the right to choose products from Australia, yet your corporation is taking that right away from me.

As a result I will no longer be shopping at Woolworths except for the one item I can't purchase anywhere else, which is Cedel Sensitive toothpaste. I presume that you have an exclusivity contract with them. So far this is an Australian company, so therefore I will exercise my right to purchase the product of my choice by entering your supermarket on the rare occasion to buy toothpaste.

I am appalled at your companies attitude of profit at all costs.

Linda

I have just read the latest issue Edition 75, and I truly compliment you. The various articles, (in particular on food additives) and what companies are Australian owned were very interesting. Thank you.

Mrs C. M Mons - Birdwood, SA

Thank you for your excellent magazine. People may not read it because it should be placed somewhere that catches the eye of the customer. My husband picks up all free brochures to read.

Yes it is a great read and we only buy Australian products and so we support our own country. As pensioners we appreciate IGA (Ritchies) at Mt Gravatt - the Staff are always helpful and assist in many ways. This week with the T-bone being on special - I asked if they would de-bone 2 pieces approx 11/2 kgs and 2 kgs pieces for the best Sirloin Roast possible - with the bone.

Cooking is so important to life and quality has to be par excellent.

So many supermarkets have huge advertising brochures and most end up in the bins. I would like to suggest a smaller and easier to manage brochure and a blank page to write down the shopping list. I would also like to suggest an idea of a "Good Hints" page on the list - apart from Bicarb of Soda etc. Something like this hint when bananas are on special:

"Take you bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem they ripen faster.."

Customers could send in hints for a monetary refund spent at IGA.

Trust this helps. Vivienne Skinner

I have read your publication for the first time, but since seeing a programme on the television some months ago, about frozen vegetables secretely coming from China to New Zealand, being re-packaged and sent on to Australian consumers... I thought (and still think) it's disgusting.

With China having so much pollution, and a scare with some of their milk products, I am worried that myself, or my son (who is sick and on dialysis), will be affected by such products gradually being introduced onto the Australian market.

I and my partner now shop at farmers markets where possible, and scan the products we buy for source. I think it is terrible that the government are allowing products from other countries that don't have such high regard for the health of consumers, that their products are coming onto our shelves, and that our farmers seem to be forced to shut down their farms .. through low prices from the big supermarket giants etc. etc.

I really feel that our government needs to take a good look at what they are doing, and ask the Australian people what they would like... not do all this underhandedly... making decisions for us to eat food grown overseas. Most Australians want to keep their children employed, and eat our own healthy produce grown in Australia.. it's about time something, or someone speaks up about this matter.

Yours sincerely,
Ann Shegog - South Australia

 

Love reading FightBack every month - would like to see more articles on Australian products that use recylable packaging and perhaps recipes using Australian owned products.

Fay Sinclair