Walk into any major supermarket and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. The shelves are overflowing with choices, with the cheapest, most highly processed, sugar-filled options designed to grab our attention first.
They’re addictive, fast and convenient. But they’re also undermining our health and our connection to real food.
And here is the dilemma: supermarkets are where most people shop. Like it or not, they’re the gatekeepers of the nation’s food supply. So, if we’re serious about improving the UK’s health, we can’t ignore them. While it may not be their official responsibility to fix the nation’s diet, they are on the frontlines of food access.
That puts supermarkets in a powerful position to influence how we think about food.
The availability of organic produce in supermarkets isn’t just a “nice to have”, it’s essential. Organic food, grown without harmful chemicals and with respect for the planet and its soil, is still treated as a luxury item, rather than what it should be: the standard.
When organic options are tucked away in a small section with higher price tags, it sends a clear message: healthy, real food is for the privileged. That has to change.
Food education
But this isn’t just a supermarket problem, it’s a societal one. The deeper issue is that many people don’t know what good nutrition really looks like. We’ve become disconnected from where our food comes from and what our bodies need to thrive.
That’s not the fault of the average shopper. It’s the fault of a system that hasn’t prioritised food education, access, and transparency.
This is where the government must step in. It’s encouraging to hear proposals being put forward that will legally require supermarkets to push healthier foods that will help tackle our obesity crisis. But we also need policies that make organic and fresh produce more affordable and accessible.
We need food education that begins in schools and continues through communities. People need to be taught how to cook from scratch, using real ingredients.
A negative spiral
The harsh truth is that we’re caught in a negative spiral. Cheap, commoditised junk food dominates the shelves because it’s profitable, and people buy it because it’s all they’ve known or all they can afford. The poorest people lose out the most, stuck in the crossfire of a broken food system. And they deserve better.
So where does change begin? It’s not easy and, yes, the system is stacked against clean food in many ways. But every product listed or shopping decision is a small but mighty form of activism.
If we want a healthier, more conscious nation, we need to shift our collective mindset. We must stop treating real food like a luxury and start recognising it for what it truly is: our basic right. Bring organic produce out of the niche aisle and into the mainstream.
We must demand better, not just from supermarkets, but from ourselves, our schools, and our leaders. Because if we don’t, we’ll continue to spiral. A nation of sugar addicts, numbed by convenience and stripped of vitality.
But if we do, if we each take even small steps toward conscious choices, we build a different, better future. One that is healthier, wiser and more deeply connected to what really matters.
Carl Saxton-Pizzie, founder and CEO at Wholegood
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