We may have just been given an illustration of this by six specialist organic supermarket chains, grouped together under the “Synadis Bio” union. In an advert published online and in cinemas, these purists of the sector ridicule generalist supermarkets in a deluge of clichés and exaggerations. The advertisement is as funny as the arguments are poor. From this perspective, it meets the current golden rules of the media: get a laugh at any cost. Hence caricature wins out over analysis. They need to divide to survive, even if it means along the way breaching some principles of public health, such as those relating to regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. The National Public Health Institute for Quebec (1), like many others, makes its recommendations all too clear: “(..) the benefits of increased consumption of fruits and vegetables far outweigh the risks associated with the pesticide residues that they may contain”. The Biocoops, Naturalia et al. are not bothered about that. To have a dig at their neighbours, they have a dig at the whole sector. If they need to stoop to populism to do so, no worries either. They can get a cheap and easy laugh to prevent any actual thought; the effect is guaranteed. As for tackling real problems, that’s not the issue. Experienced observers will not have taken long to realise that these companies are just advocating unhealthy corporatism, by preventing any competition on an expanding market, over which they want to retain total control. If we were not in the post-truth era, the debate would have been illuminated through discussing for instance the concepts of real and fake organic (2). We would also have shown that the world is not as apocalyptic as the purists would have us believe, and that third-way concepts (neither conventional nor organic), of transitioning agricultural systems and of applying the principles of agro-ecology, gaining ground with every passing day. The solution certainly lies in these areas, under a general approach of progress for all. Unless, of course, you believe that organic should be the preserve of an elite?
(2) Organic, not such good compliance... by Denis Loeillet. FruiTrop 263, May 2019, pages 10 to 13
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