0:00:02 > 0:00:04There's a lot we don't know about the food on our plate,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08and the shops and the labels don't always tell you the whole story.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Sometimes when you have these offers on in the supermarket, you think
0:00:11 > 0:00:15you're getting a good deal, but if you're actually throwing it away,
0:00:15 > 0:00:16it's not a good deal.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Whether you're staying in or going out,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22you've told us you can feel ripped off by the promises made for what
0:00:22 > 0:00:25you eat and what you pay for it.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28What really winds me up I suppose is the price of so-called healthy food
0:00:28 > 0:00:30and compared with the unhealthy stuff.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32The unhealthy stuff seems to be so much cheaper.
0:00:32 > 0:00:37From claims that don't stack up to the secrets behind the packaging,
0:00:37 > 0:00:41we'll uncover the truth about Britain's food so you can be sure
0:00:41 > 0:00:44you're getting what you expect at the right price.
0:00:45 > 0:00:47Your food, your money.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Hello and welcome to Rip-Off Britain, where today,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59we're going to be unpicking some of the key factors
0:00:59 > 0:01:01that influence which foods end up on our
0:01:01 > 0:01:03plates, whether that's to do with its price,
0:01:03 > 0:01:08its availability or even the latest trends because, you know,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11some foods do go in and out of fashion, just like anything else.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Well, one story that brought into very sharp focus a combination of
0:01:14 > 0:01:18several of those factors was the sudden shortage of fresh veg that
0:01:18 > 0:01:22affected all of us, if you remember, at the start of 2017.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Now, you may recall that some prices rocketed and some supermarkets even
0:01:26 > 0:01:28rationed how much broccoli you could buy.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31We'll be exploring the wider implications of that
0:01:31 > 0:01:32and as we'll see,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35while some foods have become such staples that we expect to be able
0:01:35 > 0:01:38to get hold of them all the year round,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41there are others that have gone out of fashion, so much so,
0:01:41 > 0:01:43that they're in danger of becoming extinct.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46So, let's find out if your favourite is on that danger list.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Coming up, why a perfect storm of bad weather on the continent led to
0:01:53 > 0:01:55soaring prices for our veg.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58How can we stop the same thing happening again?
0:01:58 > 0:02:03A box of courgettes that would be somewhere within the region
0:02:03 > 0:02:07- of £5 to £7 went up to £24.- What?!
0:02:07 > 0:02:12And we enter the world of the silver screen to catch up with what
0:02:12 > 0:02:15cinemas now charge for those must-have snacks,
0:02:15 > 0:02:18and it seems that the prices at some of the multiplexes are leaving
0:02:18 > 0:02:21you very perplexed indeed.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25When I go to the cinema, the price of the food is almost the same
0:02:25 > 0:02:31as the ticket price and I was really shocked by the price of it.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34I think it was £8 for the nachos.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41I guess we've all become so very used to being able to get hold of
0:02:41 > 0:02:44whatever fresh produce we want at any time of the year
0:02:44 > 0:02:48that it all came as a bit of a shock in early 2017
0:02:48 > 0:02:51to find that we were suddenly hit by a vegetable shortage,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54which led to empty supermarket shelves,
0:02:54 > 0:02:58rocketing prices and even some stores limiting what you could buy.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01With several of our shopping basket staples affected,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04it really did bring home to us what a very finely balanced business the
0:03:04 > 0:03:07whole supply of foods can be,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10especially when we've come to take them for granted.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13So, with the immediate crisis now over,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16I've been looking into what lessons this might have for the future and
0:03:16 > 0:03:18whether or not there really is anything we can do
0:03:18 > 0:03:21to avoid something similar ever happening again.
0:03:24 > 0:03:25Hi, Sid.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27Chris.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Have you got anything else to offer in peppers other than that little
0:03:30 > 0:03:32bit of red there?
0:03:32 > 0:03:35It's 4:30am and while most of us will still be asleep at
0:03:35 > 0:03:39that hour, Mike Noone is already up and at 'em in this fruit and veg
0:03:39 > 0:03:41market in Greater Manchester.
0:03:41 > 0:03:42Yeah.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44I tell you what,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46- Five red.- Five red.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48And two or three yellow, please.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53He's at the helm of a fruit and veg supply business that's just one cog in
0:03:53 > 0:03:57the huge machine that brings a wealth of products to our tables.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59It's a nice variety this, Osprey. I quite like them.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03It's places like this across the UK that determine the price
0:04:03 > 0:04:08we end up paying for our produce when we go to the shops and the key
0:04:08 > 0:04:12factor is how much buyers like Mike have to pay for it first.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Right, OK. Well, book us these then, Andy, please.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20If he has to pay more, then so will whoever is buying from him.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23And while that seems like simple economics,
0:04:23 > 0:04:28for a food retailer to be competitive, its prices must remain low,
0:04:28 > 0:04:29and that's a huge challenge,
0:04:29 > 0:04:33especially when dealing with fresh products exposed to the elements.
0:04:34 > 0:04:41We decide how to buy generally based on the volume of product that's in the market.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43That will decide how much the price is.
0:04:43 > 0:04:49So it's down to the relationships that we've got with the traders here to negotiate a price.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Anything in red pepper, please?
0:04:52 > 0:04:56If it's expensive, we might only buy ten, just to have them in the shelf.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00If it's cheap, if it's abundant, we might buy 100.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03It all depends on how much it is and that's the negotiation.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05That's the whole point of coming to market.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11Now, Mike supplies chefs and restaurants who are generally able to be
0:05:11 > 0:05:15flexible with their menus if there are sudden changes to what produce is available,
0:05:15 > 0:05:20but that's not so easy for supermarkets, with modern consumers
0:05:20 > 0:05:24wanting consistency in what we buy and what we pay for it.
0:05:26 > 0:05:32Every day our supermarket shelves are stacked full of fresh fruit and vegetables,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35quite a few of them having come from other parts of the world.
0:05:35 > 0:05:40You know, long gone are the days when we could only buy seasonal fruit and veg.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42These days, we can buy our favourite fruits,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46our favourite vegetables whenever we want,
0:05:46 > 0:05:51and that would go a long way to explaining why in 2015, for instance,
0:05:51 > 0:05:57the imports of fresh produce into the UK hit six million tonnes.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02With customers demanding a year-round supply of the fruits we enjoy,
0:06:02 > 0:06:07the pressure is on to keep prices low, and to accommodate both those factors
0:06:07 > 0:06:12there are times of the year when the amount that we import goes right up.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16We rely massively on imported produce,
0:06:16 > 0:06:17certainly through the winter months.
0:06:17 > 0:06:23If we didn't have imports from Spain and Europe and Thailand and Asia and
0:06:23 > 0:06:24all around the world,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28we'd be eating cabbage and carrots and leeks throughout the winter months,
0:06:28 > 0:06:30much like your grandparents did.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32But now we've got much more exotic tastes,
0:06:32 > 0:06:34so it comes from all over the world.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Of course, it changes and the seasons change.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41In the summer months, we buy our cos lettuce from a farm that's 15 miles away.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Takes all the transport costs out of it,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45but if you want cos lettuce in the winter months,
0:06:45 > 0:06:47it has to come from Spain.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Why that country? Well, obviously it's got a warmer climate,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54which means that it's got a much longer growing season than we have.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59But that explains why in the winter 80% of the vegetables you buy are
0:06:59 > 0:07:01going to have come from Spain.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05But, you know, we should never take that for granted, because every now and again
0:07:05 > 0:07:09we get a sharp reminder that, as any good gardener will tell you,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13it only takes a tiny glitch in the weather to ensure that growing produce
0:07:13 > 0:07:17of any kind is going to become a very precarious business indeed.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25Which is exactly what happened in January 2017 when freak weather in Spain
0:07:25 > 0:07:29caused a momentous storm in the supply chain.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33The south-east of the country was hit by record levels of rain and even some snow.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Murcia, an area that supplies by far the bulk of our fresh produce during
0:07:39 > 0:07:44the winter months, had 70% of its growing fields wiped out,
0:07:44 > 0:07:45with crops of courgettes,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49spinach and iceberg lettuce amongst the hardest hit.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Other parts of southern Europe were also affected,
0:07:53 > 0:07:55creating major shortages right across the continent.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00And while all that happened thousands of miles away,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04the effects were soon being felt much closer to home.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Any veg that did make it to the UK was in such short supply that it ran
0:08:08 > 0:08:12out very quickly, leading to empty shelves in our supermarkets.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15And back in Manchester,
0:08:15 > 0:08:19businesses like Noone and Sons were badly affected too.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22In all the 40 years that I've been coming to market,
0:08:22 > 0:08:27this is without doubt the worst six or eight weeks that we've ever had.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30The weather has decimated the products coming out of Spain
0:08:30 > 0:08:32and caused massive shortages.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37Maggie is Mike's wife and is in charge of marketing at the company.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40She says the produce that did get through
0:08:40 > 0:08:42came at a massively inflated cost.
0:08:43 > 0:08:46What did that do to the price of what you were buying?
0:08:46 > 0:08:49Well, it sent the price absolutely through the roof.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53I mean, the guys, the buyers that we have and my husband said that they'd
0:08:53 > 0:08:56never seen anything like it in the last 40 years.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59So, to give you an example,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03a box of courgettes that normally to us would be somewhere within the
0:09:03 > 0:09:08- region of £5 to £7 went up to £24...- What?!
0:09:08 > 0:09:10..in a matter of days.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- That's huge!- Yeah, so it just didn't gradually increase,
0:09:13 > 0:09:18it just went right up to £24, simply because they weren't available.
0:09:18 > 0:09:19They couldn't get hold of them,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23but the demand in this day and age never goes down.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25So, it was just supply and demand.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29If it's not there, the price goes up simply because it's so scarce.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34But one interesting aspect of all of this was the way the supermarkets
0:09:34 > 0:09:39reacted, with some imposing limits on the amount of veg that shoppers could buy.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Britain's vegetable shortage is continuing, with some supermarkets
0:09:43 > 0:09:45rationing the sale of produce.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Well, Tesco and Morrisons are both limiting customers to three iceberg
0:09:49 > 0:09:53lettuces and Morrisons are reported to be preventing shoppers from
0:09:53 > 0:09:57buying more than three heads of broccoli.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Morrisons has told us that it did that to stop businesses bulk buying the produce,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04leaving less for families.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06But with salads in short supply,
0:10:06 > 0:10:11some wholesalers and retailers took the costly decision to import it from the US.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14So, why do you think if there was product around,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16even though it was going to be a bit more expensive,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20why do you think so many supermarkets just left their shelves empty?
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Partly because they couldn't get it.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27So, what the supermarkets will do is contract a price.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29So, for a season, you know,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34they will be contracting two seasons ahead now for this time next year or
0:10:34 > 0:10:37whatever and they definitely hold the suppliers to a price.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41So, if the suppliers are going to sell it to anybody,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45it wouldn't be the supermarket, because they can get a premium price for it elsewhere.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49So, at the height of the shortage,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52eating our greens fast became an expensive habit.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56At one London market, the cost of broccoli shot up by 400%
0:10:56 > 0:11:00from £1 per kilogram to £5 per kilogram.
0:11:01 > 0:11:02But now the dust has settled,
0:11:02 > 0:11:06we wanted to find out if shoppers would still be prepared to pay some of
0:11:06 > 0:11:11the top prices that at the time we were asked to pay for certain veg.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13So, that's £1.70 for a lettuce,
0:11:13 > 0:11:17£1.90 for just one courgette and three quid for a bag of spinach.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21I wouldn't pay £1.90 for that, no.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23I'd pay £1.90 for a pack of these, but not, not,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27not just £1.90 for this by itself.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29If this spinach was going for £3 a bag...
0:11:30 > 0:11:36..I think I'd just probably choose another vegetable and just leave the spinach.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38There's no way I'd pay £1.70.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39No, oh, no.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41I would never pay that.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44The most I would pay for this is 90p.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49So, judging by the shoppers we spoke to, it seems there is a limit on what
0:11:49 > 0:11:50we're prepared to pay for our veg.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55But the effects of all of this could still have an impact on our pockets
0:11:55 > 0:12:00for some time, because while Spanish crops are now recovering and supplies
0:12:00 > 0:12:04of lettuce, tomato and courgettes have returned to their usual levels,
0:12:04 > 0:12:09it's expected that over the next few months we'll have to fork out 20%
0:12:09 > 0:12:12more for that kitchen cupboard staple olive oil,
0:12:12 > 0:12:16due to the combination of a poor olive harvest and weak pound.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20And the veg shortage is reckoned to have cost shops
0:12:20 > 0:12:23around £8 million in lost sales in just one month.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29There is, of course, a way we could avoid what happens in fields so far
0:12:29 > 0:12:34from our shores affecting what we eat, and that's to become completely self-sufficient.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37But food historian Sam Bilton says the last time we came
0:12:37 > 0:12:42anywhere near that was a century ago in World War I.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48By 1917, something like one in four of our merchant ships were being
0:12:48 > 0:12:50destroyed by the German Navy.
0:12:50 > 0:12:56So, something like nine million acres of land was turned into arable
0:12:56 > 0:12:59land to grow crops like potato and wheat,
0:12:59 > 0:13:04which was the biggest harvest we'd ever seen in this country at that point.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08In terms of self-sufficiency for the future, it seems unlikely.
0:13:08 > 0:13:09I would imagine that the arable land
0:13:09 > 0:13:15that was available during the First World War is now no longer available
0:13:15 > 0:13:16for that purpose.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19It's unlikely we would get to a point where we are growing
0:13:19 > 0:13:22enough wheat and potatoes to feed this country.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29But if that sounds like we're destined to remain reliant
0:13:29 > 0:13:31on importing our winter fruit and veg,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36there are suppliers closer to home determined to find a solution to that,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38and thanks to new innovations in farming,
0:13:38 > 0:13:43some UK farmers are starting to find ways of producing affordable British
0:13:43 > 0:13:45produce all the year round.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49In the UK, we import 80% of our tomatoes,
0:13:49 > 0:13:53a figure which rises even higher in the winter months.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56But Rick Holt's company in the Vale of Evesham, Worcestershire,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00which has been producing British tomatoes for over three decades,
0:14:00 > 0:14:02now does it in winter too,
0:14:02 > 0:14:07by using technology that combats the cold and lack of sunshine during the winter months.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13Well, to grow tomatoes in the winter you have to supply light, because in
0:14:13 > 0:14:14January and February,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17there's nothing like enough light from outside.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19To begin with people used sodium lamps,
0:14:19 > 0:14:23which are like streetlights and we've got those in the roof,
0:14:23 > 0:14:28but in recent years they found that LEDs are better because they're more
0:14:28 > 0:14:33efficient and they're just giving the colours that the plants want.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38Rick's hi-tech greenhouses cover 22 acres.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40That's the equivalent of over ten football pitches.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43It supplies tomatoes to several of the big stores.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48We've been growing under lights for about three years.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52We've put them in to see how it went and it seems to be going quite well.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55It means that we can grow for 12 months of the year,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59which from our point of view is a good thing, supplying to supermarkets.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04But although he produces over 15 tonnes of tomatoes every week,
0:15:04 > 0:15:10that is still only 0.1% of the 500,000 tonnes that we consume every year,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13and all of those lights do have a cost.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18The problem is they can in some cases grow it much cheaper abroad,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22which means that they can supply into this country cheaper,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25which makes it difficult for our growers to make a profit.
0:15:25 > 0:15:31So, we are up against imports and the prices that they come in.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36So, unless we're prepared to pay a bit more for home-grown veg or turn back
0:15:36 > 0:15:39the clock on our exotic tastes and eat seasonally again,
0:15:39 > 0:15:44it seems for now we remain at the mercy of the rain in Spain.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49We're so used now to stuff from all over the world coming at any time.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51So, we get strawberries in the winter,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53we get all this lovely fruit and veg,
0:15:53 > 0:15:58regardless of what used to be a kind of a seasonal rotation.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01- Do you think we've been a bit spoiled by expecting that? - I do, yeah.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04I absolutely do and I think the general public,
0:16:04 > 0:16:05people on the street,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08because they see it all the time in the supermarkets, never question,
0:16:08 > 0:16:10never even question where it comes from.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14So, although this has been a total disaster, you know,
0:16:14 > 0:16:17we're really pleased that it's let people have a window
0:16:17 > 0:16:20into what exactly goes on with growing things.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Still to come on Rip-Off Britain...
0:16:28 > 0:16:32From food trends to marketing hype and pricing.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35We take a closer look at why some of our much loved everyday foods
0:16:35 > 0:16:39like marmalades are actually in decline and we ask - can anything be
0:16:39 > 0:16:42done to save them from extinction?
0:16:42 > 0:16:45It doesn't surprise me that young people don't like it.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47There's so much you can do with it and I think that's kind of been
0:16:47 > 0:16:50forgotten and we need to bring it back in a way.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Now, here's a familiar scenario of family life.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00You've planned a night out at the cinema for the whole family.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03The tickets are booked and you're already reeling at the fact
0:17:03 > 0:17:05that you've had to shell out up to £50
0:17:05 > 0:17:07for less than two hours of fun,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09but the financial pain doesn't end there.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Once you arrive at the cinema,
0:17:11 > 0:17:16everyone makes a beeline for the drinks and snacks and bang goes even more of your money.
0:17:16 > 0:17:21Easily up to £30 if everyone fancies popcorn and a drink.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Well, we tend to grit our teeth and chalk it all up as part of the whole
0:17:24 > 0:17:26cinema experience, don't we?
0:17:26 > 0:17:29But we've heard that plenty of you think it's time that the big chains
0:17:29 > 0:17:31took another long look at their prices.
0:17:39 > 0:17:44Ever since food vendors were introduced to movie theatres back in the 1930s,
0:17:44 > 0:17:49snacks have been as synonymous with the cinema as Fred was with Ginger,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and for many of us a trip to the pictures is only complete
0:17:52 > 0:17:55once we're fully armed with our favourite munchies.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59When I go to the cinema I've got to have popcorn, Coke, crisps.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01- An 'ot dog.- An 'ot dog, yeah.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04I have a pick'n'mix, I think most people do,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06or an ice cream and a Coca-Cola.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11But while those treats and nibbles may be part of the big-screen
0:18:11 > 0:18:14experience, too often they can come at a blockbusting price.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19The price of food in cinemas
0:18:19 > 0:18:21is quite expensive.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Every year or so I've noticed it goes up 50p, £1.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Since I was a kid, it's gotten a lot more expensive.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33Now, we regularly hear from people objecting to the cost of cinema snacks,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37and while, of course, no one's forcing you to buy them from the cinema itself,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39it's clear that if that's what you choose to do,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43some of the prices charged have become particularly hard to swallow.
0:18:45 > 0:18:50One recent social media post went viral and got over 13,000 likes,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54when a frustrated customer expressed his dismay at how much his trip to
0:18:54 > 0:18:57the cinema ended up costing,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01with particular irritation reserved for this rather uninspiring tray of nachos.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Someone else who's cheesed off with the cost is Teri Peters from Bedford.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14She wrote to us saying her visits to the cinema have become less and less
0:19:14 > 0:19:17frequent due to rising prices, so, reluctantly,
0:19:17 > 0:19:22she and her friend June now do most of their movie watching in their own homes.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25When I go to the cinema,
0:19:25 > 0:19:30the price of the food is almost the same as the ticket price.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35I took my granddaughter to the cinema, and I had a ticket, she had a ticket.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39She had some nachos and I had that and we had a Coke and
0:19:39 > 0:19:42it came out at about £30.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46I think it was £8 for the nachos, a little tray,
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and I was really shocked by the price of it.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54And June says the last time she treated her three grandchildren,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56things got particularly pricey.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01I bought a bag of pick'n'mix.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05When they weighed the sweets, it was £12,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08and I couldn't say to them "Put them back, cos I'm not paying that,"
0:20:08 > 0:20:10so I bought them,
0:20:10 > 0:20:15but it was...far more expensive than
0:20:15 > 0:20:18buying it in a supermarket.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22That was the first thing that shocked me, but it got worse.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26My oldest grandson wanted a hot dog and a drink,
0:20:26 > 0:20:27and it was £7.50.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34For many, it's popcorn that's the cinema essential,
0:20:34 > 0:20:39so it's perhaps no wonder that a 2014 survey found that was the item
0:20:39 > 0:20:42British moviegoers considered to be the absolute worst value for money.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47To see if that's backed up by the facts,
0:20:47 > 0:20:51we wanted to find out exactly how much those puffed kernels typically cost.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54But getting the country's best-known cinema chains,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57Vue, Odeon and Cineworld,
0:20:57 > 0:21:01to part with any information about their product prices wasn't an easy task.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02When we contacted them directly,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05they wouldn't tell us how much they charge,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10but, undeterred, we visited cinemas right across the UK to gather our own intel,
0:21:10 > 0:21:15and we soon found some rather striking regional variations in what
0:21:15 > 0:21:17you'd pay for a large popcorn.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21The most expensive we found, perhaps unsurprisingly, was in London,
0:21:21 > 0:21:25where we'd have paid a whopping £6.30 at a branch of Vue,
0:21:25 > 0:21:29and across the country, once we averaged out the prices,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32it was Vue that came out the most expensive,
0:21:32 > 0:21:37with a large popcorn typically setting you back £5.54.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It was Cineworld that came out the cheapest,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42with an average price of £5.12,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46and as its large bag was also bigger than its rivals' offerings,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49pound for pound, Cineworld definitely came out
0:21:49 > 0:21:50best value for money.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Or perhaps that should be "least worst" value for money,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57because at any of these cinemas,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01what you're getting is still significantly more expensive than you'd pay
0:22:01 > 0:22:02for popcorn in a store.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Well, I've just been to the local supermarket and bought these.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10They cost £1 each, but if I was to do...
0:22:11 > 0:22:12..this and...
0:22:14 > 0:22:15..this...
0:22:16 > 0:22:20..I could charge you £5.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22That's a mark-up of 150%.
0:22:26 > 0:22:27Mmm, tastes expensive!
0:22:29 > 0:22:33We also took a look at what the big chains charge for their nachos and
0:22:33 > 0:22:35they were an even worse deal.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39The average price we found across the country for this savoury snack,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43including dip and toppings, was £5.58.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47But a bag of straight nachos from your local supermarket could set you
0:22:47 > 0:22:49back as little as 46p.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53So, even once you've taken into account the cost of the cheese
0:22:53 > 0:22:56and the extras and warming everything up,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00the cinemas are likely to be walking away with a pretty profit.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02And while, of course, they're in the business of making money,
0:23:02 > 0:23:07and most of us would expect to pay more at the cinema than we would at the supermarket,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10how much more is it justifiable for them to charge?
0:23:12 > 0:23:15We asked some shoppers in Gloucester what they thought would be a
0:23:15 > 0:23:17reasonable price for these two snacks.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20What would you think it's fair to pay for something like these two?
0:23:20 > 0:23:24About £3 for that.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- And what about...?- I guess cos it comes with dips,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28probably about four or five for nachos.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30£3 for that.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- And what about that?- Well, that's not a lot...
0:23:33 > 0:23:34£2.50.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36A couple of pounds each, I suppose.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38- A couple of pounds each?- That's what I would pay, yeah.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Would it surprise you to know that actually what you'd pay would be
0:23:41 > 0:23:45£5.20 and £5.50?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47£5.50 for that?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Yeah, what you think of that?
0:23:49 > 0:23:51That's too much. Way too much.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54I mean, that won't last you the whole movie.
0:23:54 > 0:23:55It's a lot of money, definitely.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58I think that's why don't always have it every time I go,
0:23:58 > 0:23:59cos it's a bit overpriced.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05And it's not just consumers wondering if the big chains might be pushing
0:24:05 > 0:24:07their prices to the limit.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Film critic James Luxford knows the industry inside out,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15so he knows how the cinemas will justify their food and drink prices.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21The reason cinemas charge so much for food and drink is often because they
0:24:21 > 0:24:24have similar overheads to, say, a restaurant or a bar,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29but also the price you pay at the box office for your cinema ticket
0:24:29 > 0:24:31is not all going to the cinema.
0:24:31 > 0:24:36Often 50% will go to the film studio, the people making the film,
0:24:36 > 0:24:40and 50% to the cinema, with the bigger movies,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42the big summer blockbusters that everyone wants to see,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46sometimes the cinema will get 25%, sometimes even less.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49So, they have to make their profit from another means.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53It's not very good for the consumer, but there is a reason for it.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00But with chains such as Cineworld recording pre-tax profits of almost
0:25:00 > 0:25:02£100 million,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05James can see why many find those huge margins hard to stomach.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09I don't think it's fair at all.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11It's a bit of a vicious circle,
0:25:11 > 0:25:15in terms of, the cinema needs to make money and we all want the cinema
0:25:15 > 0:25:17experience to remain as it is,
0:25:17 > 0:25:21but it does seem that cinemagoers are being squeezed
0:25:21 > 0:25:24from the moment they walk in through the door to the moment
0:25:24 > 0:25:26the credits start rolling.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29And there are even cinema insiders who'd agree with that.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35People like Mark Roberts, former manager at Premiere Cinema,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38an independent picture house in Romford.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Like the big chains, the cinema relies heavily on revenue from the kiosk,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45but they don't like to push the prices too high.
0:25:45 > 0:25:50Instead, they offer smaller portions at lower prices than the multiplexes
0:25:50 > 0:25:54so their customers won't end up spending too much and they can still make a profit.
0:25:55 > 0:26:00I think there's a certain degree of what's actually acceptable to charge your customers.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01The prices that we charge here,
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I think they're fair for us and I think it's enough profit that we can
0:26:04 > 0:26:06cope and we can survive.
0:26:07 > 0:26:08Maybe with the larger chains,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11I think it comes down to a certain amount of greed.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Once customers are actually in the cinema it's almost like a captive audience,
0:26:14 > 0:26:18especially if you've got screaming children asking for popcorn, asking for drinks,
0:26:18 > 0:26:22and their parents will have to pay it because that's all that's on offer.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Well, when we contacted Vue,
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Cineworld and Odeon to ask about their food and drink pricing,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31they all chose not to comment.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37But the UK Cinema Association, which represents the industry,
0:26:37 > 0:26:39told us that just like other leisure facilities,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42such as theatres and football grounds,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46the prices at cinemas reflect a number of different factors and costs,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48and are openly advertised,
0:26:48 > 0:26:51with customers free to choose whether or not they buy.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56The Association also pointed out that most cinemas offer value discounts
0:26:56 > 0:27:01on combo deals, which sometimes include the cost of the cinema ticket too.
0:27:01 > 0:27:07So, the headline price of a drink or snack is often not the one paid by most customers.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Well, sad to say, the rising cost of a trip to the cinema shows no sign
0:27:15 > 0:27:17of slowing down, but we've got some good tips for you
0:27:17 > 0:27:20that might help you save a few pennies
0:27:20 > 0:27:21next time you go to the movies.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27First, do check for those combo deals that the industry body recommends,
0:27:27 > 0:27:29so if you're buying more than one thing,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32you might be able to save at least a few pennies.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37And another option, of course, is to take in your own snacks, which Vue,
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Odeon and Cineworld are happy for you to do,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42providing the food's not hot and the drink isn't alcoholic.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47In fact, the same goes for seven out of the top ten chains.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Only Everyman, Curzon and Merlin
0:27:50 > 0:27:53won't allow food brought in from outside the cinema.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57For Teri, though, buying snacks at the cinema used to be part of the fun,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00so unless the prices come down,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05the local multiplex isn't a place she's likely to be visiting any time soon.
0:28:05 > 0:28:10If the snacks were less, I think more people would go to the cinema,
0:28:10 > 0:28:14because you're talking doubling up the price.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17And, um...
0:28:17 > 0:28:22For people on low incomes, on pensions, it's a lot of money.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Up next, three foods with one thing in common - Ulster corned beef,
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Jersey black butter and Bath chaps.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Now, it might sound like I've been reading the menu from some smart new
0:28:36 > 0:28:39restaurant, but in fact I've been reading up on foods that used to be
0:28:39 > 0:28:41commonplace around the UK.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43Like anything else, of course,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46foods go in and out of fashion and while there are some that remain
0:28:46 > 0:28:48consistently well loved,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51over the years, others have gone through waves of popularity.
0:28:51 > 0:28:55So, we wanted to tap into what makes certain foods stay one step ahead of
0:28:55 > 0:28:59the competition, and look into why other long-established favourites
0:28:59 > 0:29:01could well be heading for extinction.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08It's the annual Marmalade Festival in Penrith in Cumbria.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Artisan marmalade makers are here to show off their creations,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15and the rest of us are welcome to join in everything from Marmalade
0:29:15 > 0:29:20Question Time, to marmalade cookery classes and, best of all,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22a marmalade tasting competition.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25It's a celebration of the age-old orange spread,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28organised by Jane Hasell-McCosh.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31My awards and festival started 12 years ago now,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34with 60 pots from friends and neighbours,
0:29:34 > 0:29:38and I somehow managed to persuade them to put them in for a competition.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41But it's grown from strength to strength.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Each year we think, "Well, perhaps if it's not going to be so good, we'll give up."
0:29:45 > 0:29:47But each year, even more pots come in.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Judging the competition are marmalade supremos Eileen and Doreen.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56They know exactly what they think makes the perfect pot.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02The perfect marmalade needs to be beautifully clear, well-cooked peel,
0:30:02 > 0:30:06- which is quite a fault that most of them have.- Yes.
0:30:06 > 0:30:12And the consistency, it has to be nice jelly-like consistency,
0:30:12 > 0:30:14rather than syrupy.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16It makes an awful difference.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Fellow marmalade enthusiast Rose simply can't get enough of it.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25I think marmalade's one of the best things ever,
0:30:25 > 0:30:27I was brought up with it and I love it on toast,
0:30:27 > 0:30:30but I think it's also very versatile, there's so much you can do with it,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33and I think that's kind of been forgotten, and we need to bring it back, in a way.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37From the crowds here today,
0:30:37 > 0:30:40you'd never know that in actual fact despite being a breakfast favourite
0:30:40 > 0:30:42for hundreds of years,
0:30:42 > 0:30:46marmalade sales have declined in recent years by 4.7%,
0:30:46 > 0:30:50and there doesn't seem to be a new generation of fans waiting in the wings.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Just 10% of marmalade is sold to households with children.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57It doesn't surprise me that young people don't like it,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00but I think there's a lot we can do to make sure that they realise that
0:31:00 > 0:31:03it's very versatile and there's actually so much you can do,
0:31:03 > 0:31:05whether it's cooking with it or you could put it in a cocktail,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08it doesn't just have to be on your toast.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10But marmalade isn't the only food
0:31:10 > 0:31:13once considered a staple of the British diet
0:31:13 > 0:31:15to have taken a nosedive in sales.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17Our food-buying habits are constantly changing,
0:31:17 > 0:31:22so also now also going out of fashion is white bread.
0:31:22 > 0:31:27Since 1974, its sales have fallen by 75%,
0:31:27 > 0:31:32and traditional tea and tinned foods are also reportedly in decline.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Adam Leyland from the trade magazine The Grocer has a few clues
0:31:35 > 0:31:38as to what impacts food trends.
0:31:40 > 0:31:41So, here we have the tin.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46This is a technology that's been around for 200 years.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49It's a technology that is old-fashioned,
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and new technologies have replaced it.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Most particularly, we like our food fresh and chilled,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57and over the last 40 years,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59an incredible chilled supply chain has been
0:31:59 > 0:32:04developed that means we can now have our food fresh.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07If supermarkets' ability to sell fresher food plays some part
0:32:07 > 0:32:10in changing what we eat, another factor some would say
0:32:10 > 0:32:13is our more sophisticated tastes.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18So, if you take wrapped bread, that technology's been around for 90 years,
0:32:18 > 0:32:20and at the time it was a miracle,
0:32:20 > 0:32:23hence the phrase "the best thing since sliced bread".
0:32:23 > 0:32:27But, our tastes are changing, so we want more premium loaves,
0:32:27 > 0:32:32we want gluten-free loaves, because there's concern about bloating
0:32:32 > 0:32:35associated with bread and we want no carbs at all,
0:32:35 > 0:32:37that's another key diet-based trend.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41So, as tastes and technologies change,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44it's the job of manufacturers and retailers to adapt and evolve their
0:32:44 > 0:32:46products to keep us buying,
0:32:46 > 0:32:50and one section of the market that's done exactly that is frozen food,
0:32:50 > 0:32:52which seems to have gone all upmarket.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56In the last year or two,
0:32:56 > 0:33:00there's been big investment in selling up the power of frozen.
0:33:00 > 0:33:07So, they've said, "Let's get frozen food, but let's make it frozen and really fine quality,"
0:33:07 > 0:33:11and in doing so, they've ticked a trend and achieved real uplift in sales,
0:33:11 > 0:33:13for the first time in years.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18So, reinvention and rebranding is the name of the game in the food
0:33:18 > 0:33:21industry, in order to keep old trusty products
0:33:21 > 0:33:24from being consigned to the culinary history books.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But when it comes to marmalade,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29there's no doubt that many young people would much rather spread other
0:33:29 > 0:33:33products such as peanut butter and chocolate spread on their toast
0:33:33 > 0:33:35than something that contains fruit.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38In fact, while marmalade sales dwindle,
0:33:38 > 0:33:42those of chocolate spread Nutella have continued to rise.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47It's now the UK's top spread, with sales worth over £50 million.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53Now, one person who goes nuts for the stuff is Olympic canoer Rebeka Simon.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56I've liked chocolate spread ever since I can remember.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Whenever we went on summer holidays with my grandparents,
0:34:01 > 0:34:06I remember that we were always allowed a teaspoon of chocolate spread a day with my brother.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10My top three ways would be on a crepe,
0:34:10 > 0:34:14but totally filled with chocolate spread.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Another favourite is chocolate spread-filled doughnuts, but again,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20like, really full.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25But my absolute favourite out of these is eating it with a spoon
0:34:25 > 0:34:26out of the jar.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33So, why's chocolate hitting the mark over the go-to spread of the past?
0:34:33 > 0:34:37I've tried marmalade once, thinking that it was going to be really,
0:34:37 > 0:34:42really sweet and then it was a very disappointing first taste.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45One big plus for marmalade is the price.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49We found an own-brand marmalade for just 40p a pot -
0:34:49 > 0:34:52that's four times cheaper than the cheapest chocolate spread.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57But, of course, it's been proven that our tastes do change.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01A recent survey suggests that nearly three-quarters of us now have a much
0:35:01 > 0:35:03bigger range of foods in our diet.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06So, as the variety expands,
0:35:06 > 0:35:10the harder products have to work to stay on our shopping list.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Some products, of course, go away.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16But it's amazing how many have a sticking power,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19but as they get less popular,
0:35:19 > 0:35:21they're taken less seriously by the supermarkets,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25the space they're given declines and it takes a great deal of energy and
0:35:25 > 0:35:31money and innovation, frankly, to revive an ailing brand.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34So, you think of some of the classics of the last few years -
0:35:34 > 0:35:39for example, a rejuvenation of the Smash instant potato.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42That's a product that's been in decline for years,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44it was considered unhealthy,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47but there's potential evidence for it coming back.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51So, in an attempt to keep marmalade on-trend,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55we're going to do an experiment, and to do it we need someone who really,
0:35:55 > 0:35:56really loves the stuff.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Meet 29-year-old Ollie Gregory from London.
0:36:01 > 0:36:06The thing I really like about marmalade is that bittersweet taste.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Compared to other things, it's not too sweet, it's not too sickly,
0:36:10 > 0:36:16and that kind of citrusy tanginess is something I really enjoy.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20I like particularly the ones with the big fruit pieces in.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I can't stand peanut butter, I think it's the devil's food.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Marmalade's drop in fortunes may in part be down to what's perceived by
0:36:27 > 0:36:31some as an apparent under-investment in its branding.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34But if that means the image of marmalade has perhaps gone a little past
0:36:34 > 0:36:38its sell by date, well, perhaps we can help.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41Ollie has agreed to help promote our new marmalade,
0:36:41 > 0:36:46but first we asked a branding agency to come up with an original concept
0:36:46 > 0:36:49that could reignite the public's passion for the citrus spread.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53It's been a fantastic, kind of, dream brief for us,
0:36:53 > 0:36:58to rethink and re-envisage an entire product, really,
0:36:58 > 0:37:02a sector or a range like marmalade.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05So, to be able to do that has been fantastic for us,
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and we've thrown ourselves into the research of it,
0:37:07 > 0:37:09seeing what all the current brands are doing,
0:37:09 > 0:37:14and they are super-targeted at the older demographic, really.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18So, as this team got to work,
0:37:18 > 0:37:21they ditched the old and brought in bold writing,
0:37:21 > 0:37:26fun wording and branding that's actually dropped the word marmalade altogether.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28So, we felt that words like zest and zing,
0:37:28 > 0:37:31they were short and snappy and they felt like they might appeal to a
0:37:31 > 0:37:35younger market, and the kind of thing that'd jump off the shelf if it
0:37:35 > 0:37:37was twinned with the right design.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42It would just stand a mile apart from that current traditional bakery
0:37:42 > 0:37:44kitchen feel that we're getting.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Rebranding has worked for other food and drink.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50By adopting a healthier image,
0:37:50 > 0:37:55the sales of popcorn rose 169% from 2010-2015,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00And real ale has seen a recent resurgence,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04with 31 million pints being drunk in 2015 alone.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10So, we think our concept changes the perception of marmalade,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13because it's inviting you to use it in different ways.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17It's not just something used at breakfast on your toast, you know.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21The packaging literally says, "A zesty spread for much more than bread".
0:38:21 > 0:38:23It's short, it's snappy,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26and we feel it's something someone may pick up when they might not
0:38:26 > 0:38:28necessarily pick up marmalade.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32And then we're going to use, "It's a splodgy, juicy orange spread.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35"Don't just put it on your bread. How about using it in your cakes?"
0:38:36 > 0:38:40So, back in London, we asked superfan Ollie what he thinks of the new design.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47It reads, "Squidgy, Squishy, Splodgy Spread".
0:38:47 > 0:38:48Er...
0:38:48 > 0:38:50My initial reaction is that...
0:38:50 > 0:38:54I think it... I think it's definitely along the right lines.
0:38:54 > 0:38:59It's quite punchy, it's very bright, it's very energetic.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05It, er...it talks about the kind of flavours a lot more.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08It doesn't actually refer to marmalade, which I find interesting.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12But Ollie's a fan of marmalade already,
0:39:12 > 0:39:15so we asked him to put our new pots to a wider test,
0:39:15 > 0:39:19and where better to gauge public opinion than amidst the huge variety of
0:39:19 > 0:39:24street food stalls at one of London's oldest and best loved markets, Lower Marsh?
0:39:26 > 0:39:30Looking at these jars of marmalade, what do you think about the branding?
0:39:30 > 0:39:34Well, they're all very direct, give a, you know, a very special,
0:39:34 > 0:39:38punchy idea of what to use marmalade for or in.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44I like the boldness of them, like, and just straight to the point,
0:39:44 > 0:39:46like, "smother it on your scones."
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Do you know what, I love that it tells you where you should put it.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52"Use it on porridge." That's got me.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Not just... You put marmalade on porridge?
0:39:55 > 0:39:57You could put marmalade on anything, cos it's very versatile.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00It would probably look good if you put it on social media.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Imagine, like, you set it down on the table and then you took a little
0:40:03 > 0:40:05picture of it, with a filter and everything.
0:40:05 > 0:40:07It wouldn't appeal to me at all.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- Why's that?- "Dollop some on your porridge."
0:40:10 > 0:40:13I don't need to be told what to do with it, quite frankly.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17I think the black tops are quite sinister.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21That black and then food for me doesn't go together very well.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25Maybe a younger generation will have a different idea, a different idea to that.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27If you saw it in the aisle in the supermarket,
0:40:27 > 0:40:29what you think you would think?
0:40:29 > 0:40:30Well, I wouldn't even look at it.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34If I was in the condiment aisle and I saw one of these, I would actually,
0:40:34 > 0:40:36I would probably take it home.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40A, cos it doesn't say it's marmalade, and I'd think it was a different type of jam.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43This is more fresh, it's new,
0:40:43 > 0:40:47and, you know, it's human nature to like things that are new and current.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50So, I would definitely, I'd definitely give it a go.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53So, it seems it's job done.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56This entirely unscientific test has gone at least some way to show that
0:40:56 > 0:40:58when it comes to food,
0:40:58 > 0:41:01all it takes to turn someone's head and hopefully their taste buds,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03is a bit of clever packaging.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05I think marmalade's always going to be with us.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09If you think about a lot of food trends, things go in cycles.
0:41:09 > 0:41:15So, 20 years ago, 10 years ago, beers, like particularly real ales,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17were very unpopular.
0:41:17 > 0:41:19If you look at it now, you go into a pub,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21there's hundreds of beers on offer.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24So, hopefully marmalade gets picked up and, you know,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26made trendy for the new generation.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Well, Ollie will be keeping his fingers crossed on that one,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33and with foods regularly going in and out of fashion,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36he may well get his wish, but ultimately, of course,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39the thing that determines the fortunes of our favourite foods
0:41:39 > 0:41:42is whether or not we choose to buy them.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47So, while marketing, cost and other factors play their part, in the end,
0:41:47 > 0:41:49I'm afraid, it's all down to us.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00If you've got a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:00 > 0:42:05then get in touch with us via our Facebook page, BBC Rip Off Britain,
0:42:05 > 0:42:10our website, bbc.co.uk/ripoffbritain, or e-mail...
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Or if you want to send us a letter, then our address is...
0:42:27 > 0:42:31Wasn't it fascinating to see how we're exploring new ways of growing
0:42:31 > 0:42:34vegetables here in the UK all the year round?
0:42:34 > 0:42:38You know, I think that veg shortage caught quite a lot of us off guard,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42and it really was a wake-up call to remind us that we cannot take the
0:42:42 > 0:42:46availability of even our staple foods for granted any more.
0:42:46 > 0:42:47It's all a bit precarious,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51but one thing I'm delighted to say that there's no shortage of is more
0:42:51 > 0:42:54Rip-Off Britain programmes coming up over the next few months.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57So, do please keep telling us about the things that you'd like us to investigate,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59and not just about food.
0:42:59 > 0:43:00And just a thought for you -
0:43:00 > 0:43:03we've got more of our holiday series on the way,
0:43:03 > 0:43:07so let us know about your travel disasters and we'll see if your story is
0:43:07 > 0:43:09one we can tackle on a future programme.
0:43:09 > 0:43:11But, for now, that's it for us. Do join us again.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14- Till then, from all of us, goodbye. - Bye.- Bye.