Heroes: Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall v. Tescos

Chef plans Tesco share revolt over chickens

Quote :

The television chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is calling for a mass revolt by Tesco shareholders over its sales of cheap, factory-farmed chickens.

The River Cottage smallholder has bought a financial stake in Britain's biggest supermarket and tabled a resolution, to be debated at Tesco's annual general meeting, which would force the company either to withdraw its claim that it supports animal welfare or to adopt minimum standards set by the RSPCA.

More than 100 investors holding a combined three million shares have backed the resolution, which will be debated at the meeting in Birmingham on 27 June.

This is or could be an example of what Jared Diamond was discussing towards the end of 'Collapse' where business executives and shareholders in some industries are beginning to get worried about the sustainability of their produce and have begun to take action in some cases, using their clout in order to try to direct the company towards an end that they envision as being more ethical, sustainable, more quality and value-oriented.

You might have seen HFW on rte when his River Cottage programme was aired. The man cuts the heads of chickens but ones which have had a good life first on his farm. What a hero ..

http://www.rivercottage.net/

(interesting link: World News)


nice hair

Quote :

This is or could be an example of what Jared Diamond was discussing towards the end of 'Collapse' where business executives and shareholders in some industries are beginning to get worried about the sustainability of their produce and have begun to take action in some cases, using their clout in order to try to direct the company towards an end that they envision as being more ethical, sustainable, more quality and value-oriented.

Or you could be more cynical...

People have been writing about the chicken thing for years - and the shareholders in Tesco have done sfa until now. I admire Hughie for getting into the lion's den but I think they're acting out of interests whoses bases are other than altruistic.

To be honest I'd forgotten about it and have been scoffing €4.99 chickens from Dunnes and elsewhere for a while now when I used to be a militant veggie nearly. But this has woken me up to it again - this and Corrigan Knows Food who explained to Matt whatshisface on Newstalk that free-range chickens were allowed to live for 80 days minimum or suchlike while battery ones live up to 25 then are fit for the chop after that.

Now, they are doing it for reasons other than altruism I'm sure - to get more profit for Tescos? People paying twice as much for something with a smaller, more yellow little body sounds either capitalism of an old-world sort, the pursuit of quality or an ethic... Hugh looks like an ethical dude but could be a misanthropic megalomaniac who will inadvertently do good to the human and animal world by his actions..

I initially called this thread 'Heroes or Zeroes .... ' should I change it back again?