Why do people think supermarkets are treating farmers unfairly?

Some people think that supermarkets give farmers a raw deal, but this is not the case - farmers do not even supply directly to retailers. Retailers do not control the food chain but are simply one link in a complex process from production to consumer. Talk of prices ignores the fact that there are more stages in the food chain than just farmers and retailers. Before raw agricultural products reach the retailer or indeed the caterer - they have to pass through a variety of stages; grading, sorting, cleaning, processing, packing, distribution. ... more