grocery aid

Wholesale charity effort

Sir, Your Leader last week quite rightly paid credit to the enormous financial contribution and support the food sector gives to charity (‘Our industry deserves more recognition for its charitable deeds’, 5 December). You mentioned the major retailers and many fmcg suppliers who donate to GroceryAid, our industry’s charity. However, please remember the many wholesalers and distributors who at the recent FWD Awards dinner raised a record £12,000 on the night!

Paul Fieldhouse, GroceryAid Midlands committee member


Meat tax nonsense

Sir, While travelling recently I noted with interest your report about the proposal for a meat tax to tackle global warming (‘Simplistic meat tax dismissed by industry,’ 28 November, p44). This proposed tax is a dangerous nonsense because it will hit and hurt a lot of people. The people it will hit are the poorest in our society as they will not be able to afford such a commodity. It will hit the farmers who are already under a lot of pressure. It will hit the meat trade as well in general. It could lead to a lot of jobs in shops being lost because meat will be too expensive to buy.

This tax is a way of controlling what people can and cannot buy. We are taxed enough in this country as it is already, so why do we need another one?

John Harrold, retired lorry driver



Thank you, Ten Acre!

Sir, I run Believe in Magic Children’s Charity, which spreads magic to seriously and terminally ill children. I wanted to write to you about a special company involved in your trade. Jimmy Attias, owner of Ten Acre, is one of the kindest people I have ever come across. As soon as we told him about our campaign to send some seriously ill children to Disney Florida, he helped us raise the money, raising £50,000 in just a few days! We were overwhelmed! Ten Acre is a fantastic food company that deserves some special recognition.

Jean Bhari, Believe in Magic Children’s Charity



Tesco Direct satisfied me

Sir, Credit where credit is due (‘Tesco issues new apology as delays worsen’, 2 December). I ordered an item via Tesco Direct, was made aware of the five to seven-day delivery and given an estimated date of a week. It was ready for collection less than 48 hours later. Can’t fault that service.

Shirley Braithwaite, via thegrocer.co.uk