Eating more fruit and veg

I'm always surprised that the experts can't agree on what's causing the obesity epidemic. A major part of the blame must be down to the fact that whilst many of us are doing less exercise, we're eating more processed food and less fruit and vegetables. Shops like M & H Quality Fruit & Veg (pictured above) on Newland Avenue in Hull are becoming less common on our high streets. 

This year shops like Jacksons County Fruit Store in Stafford (who've been trading for more than 130 years) and R Lewis (also known as Salmon's) in Nantwich have ceased trading. With rents of over £20,000 per annum for a high street shop, and the costs of electricity and labour on top, it's hard to see how anyone can make money from being a greengrocer these days. It's not helped by the large chains, with vast buying power, undercutting them and selling fruit and veg at very low prices to attract customers to buy other more lucrative products.   

As a result we have more food miles (the supermarkets love to sell unseasonable fruit and vegetables, and it's usually impractical for them to source much locally). We also get more plastic bags and containers, my wonderful local market traders put my vegetables directly into my bag - but this would be impractical for the supermarkets.   

I feel we'd all be a lot healthier by eating more, locally sourced when possible, fruit and vegetables.  It's interesting to note that there were two other greengrocers on Newlands Avenue in Hull, and another two nearby. This area is close to the university, where more intelligent people work, or are educated. I wonder if this is coincidence?