Shopping for food in the 21st century
Making a long trip to the supermarket and queuing for hours used to be the normal weekly routine for British and American shoppers. But since the 1990s, there is a better way to get your groceries. Supermarket shopping on the Internet has boomed in the UK and the USA. The major supermarkets have their own websites, and if you order online with them, for a small extra sum such as $8/£5 the supermarkets will do your shopping for you and deliver it to your door. If you shop with them regularly, they'll remember your favorite items so you can order them next time without searching for them! These days thousands of people in the UK and the States regularly do their supermarket shopping in this way. In contrast, in many rural areas of Britain, there has been a return to the traditional outdoor market. Farmers' markets, where farmers sell their products directly to the customer, had practically died out in Britain because of the attraction of the large supermarkets, but they have been resurrected recently, both to help farmers make more profits, and to provide customers with 'real' food again, such as fresh meat, eggs, vegetables, and preserves. Organic food has become very popular, and some producers run a 'box service', where they deliver a weekly box of fruit and vegetables to your door. Customers can't select the food - they just receive whatever is in season - but it is guaranteed to be fresh and free from chemicals, and now you can often order these online too!
