0:00:06 > 0:00:10We've become a nation of supermarket shoppers.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14We buy a staggering 90% of our food from supermarkets.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21Not everyone's a supermarket fan, but we do rely on them
0:00:21 > 0:00:23to give us the food that we want, when we want it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Now that is a huge challenge.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28And I want to find out how the supermarkets do it.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33Whoa!
0:00:35 > 0:00:39'I'm going behind the scenes with Britain's biggest food retailers.'
0:00:39 > 0:00:42This may be the nuttiest thing I've ever seen.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47'I've got exclusive access, to discover how they source...'
0:00:47 > 0:00:48Let's grill one.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51'..how they make....'
0:00:51 > 0:00:52No! Slow it down, please.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57..and how they move our food, on an epic scale.
0:01:00 > 0:01:01It's a massive operation.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06It runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I'm tracking it season by season.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14And this time, spring is in the air.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20I'll find out what it takes to bring us millions of eggs for Pancake Day.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Suck 'em up, spit 'em down onto the moving runway.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26That is the maddest thing.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Discover the clever technology behind Easter chocolate.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32It's a funfair ride for the owl, isn't it?
0:01:33 > 0:01:37I'll see if the supermarkets can get us to change our fishy habits.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39- What do you think of that?- Argh!
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And I reveal what our eyes tell us about the way we shop.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46The faster we shop, the more we buy.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Supermarkets have huge influence over our everyday lives.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55But exactly how they bring us our food has been hidden, until now.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Springtime.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10A chance to get outside, and blow away those winter blues.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14It's when we all get a new lease of life.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21I think, oh, daylight, cos obviously the daylight starts to come back.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23- The daffodils for one. - Daffodils.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26- Daffodils. - The little bunny rabbits.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30- Lambs, Easter. - And also spring cleaning!
0:02:30 > 0:02:32That's what spring means to us,
0:02:32 > 0:02:36but to the supermarkets it means sales opportunities.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41And springtime is packed full of seasonal events.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46One after the other we've got Valentine's Day, Pancake Day,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49Mothers Day and Easter, and on occasions like this,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52supermarkets know we're willing to spend more money,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55and we're often on the lookout for something special.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00So getting the right products in the stores for all these occasions
0:03:00 > 0:03:03is a big deal for the supermarkets.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08No spring event matters more than Easter, which is when we spend over
0:03:08 > 0:03:13£5½ billion on food and drink in the supermarkets.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16The only time of year we fork out more is Christmas.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19And there's one Easter favourite
0:03:19 > 0:03:22that the supermarkets devote whole aisles to.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Chocolate. We can't get enough of the stuff.
0:03:26 > 0:03:32Do you know, we spend about £450 every year on Easter chocolate?
0:03:32 > 0:03:34And with spending like that no wonder the competition
0:03:34 > 0:03:38between the supermarkets is fierce, in the battle of the Easter treats.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Look at this lot.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45We've been buying chocolate eggs at Easter
0:03:45 > 0:03:48for nearly 140 years.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52Now, the average kid in Britain gets eight of them.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54And eggs are no longer enough.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Each year the supermarkets need to come up with new,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00and more elaborate creations to attract our attention.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02But the more complex the creation,
0:04:02 > 0:04:06the more challenging it is to produce.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Easter chocolate is such a serious business for the supermarkets,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18that work on new products starts months in advance.
0:04:21 > 0:04:22I'm down in Cornwall,
0:04:22 > 0:04:25and I'm on my way to a meeting about Easter confectionary.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Now it's September, I've just got back from my holidays
0:04:28 > 0:04:31and really Easter is not top of my list of priorities.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33But if you're a supermarket, it is.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40In an out-of-the-way cafe in St Ives,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42I'm meeting Tracey Anderson and Chris Moore,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45who work on new products for Waitrose.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48They've got a top secret Easter project,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51that they hope will blow away the competition.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59I've got to say, I've never seen anything quite like this.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03So this is our new Woodland Creature range.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05So we've got two owls, we've got Ollie and Izzy,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07a brother and sister owl.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11We've got a bumblebee called Whizz, a ladybird called Dotty,
0:05:11 > 0:05:15a hedgehog called Spike, and a frog called Hop.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18Novelty Easter products like pigs, bunnies and lambs
0:05:18 > 0:05:20are all the rage, with sales of them
0:05:20 > 0:05:23soaring by 25% in the last couple of years.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It is mums and dads and grandparents that are maybe picking them up
0:05:28 > 0:05:31for their children but we want them to be excited, to say,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34"Oh, there's the cute little owl, the gorgeous little hedgehog."
0:05:34 > 0:05:37- You're into it, aren't you? - Yeah, massively so.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41And I think naming the character as well, it's like a little story.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45I just think the finish of these will just be so beautiful
0:05:45 > 0:05:49and so gorgeous that they have to sell, they will sell.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55But, manufacturing designs as elaborate as this in chocolate
0:05:55 > 0:05:58will be difficult to pull off.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Tracey and Chris are in Cornwall to meet their chosen supplier.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03County Confectionary.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Oh, it's a tough job visiting chocolate factories,
0:06:18 > 0:06:19but someone has to do it.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23This is like walking into an enormous box of chocolates,
0:06:23 > 0:06:25the smell is incredible.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32It's down to Managing Director David Brian
0:06:32 > 0:06:35to find a way to mass produce the highly detailed figures.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Today they're testing a prototype of the mould
0:06:41 > 0:06:43that will be used to make Ollie.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46For the trial they pipe the detailed features by hand.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50When it's in production, this will be done by machine.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55The mould has to be precision made and can cost up to £10,000.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Tiny variations in its shape can have a big effect
0:06:58 > 0:07:03on how the chocolate will set, and whether Ollie will come to life.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08It is a big ask, but David has assured us,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10every stop of the way, that he can do this.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17This'll be the first time the owl has become a solid object.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Molten milk chocolate is pumped into the mould,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23and we can all say hello to Ollie.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30- Hey! Look, look, look, look, look. - Wow. Oh, my God, look at that.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- Unbelievable. - That is so...
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Unbelievable!
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- You're impressed. - I really am. Just like seeing it.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Now comes a really clever bit,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46and it's how they make chocolate products hollow.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50No! Hahaha!
0:07:50 > 0:07:53What are you doing to my owl?!
0:07:53 > 0:07:56They do it using this contraption, called a spinner.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01It's a funfair ride for the owl, isn't it?
0:08:02 > 0:08:05So what it is doing is actually letting the chocolate
0:08:05 > 0:08:08go around the mould on the inside, molten chocolate,
0:08:08 > 0:08:12and as it's going around, it actually forms a shell.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16Then, as the chocolate cools, it sets into an even layer.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20All the way around the mould, leaving a hollow centre.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24If you didn't spin it around like this, the chocolate would just,
0:08:24 > 0:08:25gravity would make it settle...
0:08:25 > 0:08:27It'd be solid at the bottom.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32With a traditional Easter egg, this is a straightforward process.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34That is fascinating. Fascinating.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38But Ollie has many intricate features.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41It's hard to get chocolate to spread evenly
0:08:41 > 0:08:44through complicated shapes like ears and legs.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48If it hasn't, then his loveable woodland attributes
0:08:48 > 0:08:50might not even make it out of the mould.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52We'll take them out.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56- Can I just try and stand Ollie up? - Course you can.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Ye-hay! Hahahaha!
0:09:05 > 0:09:08So what do we think, team, has the owl got wings?
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Very, very happy with this, very happy.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12It's really, really good.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16The rough test of the owl has been a success,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but work on Ollie's friends is still a long way behind.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22- Have you done the mould for the frog yet?- No.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25- Have you done the mould for the ladybird yet?- No.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- Have you done the mould for the hedgehog?- No.- No. No.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Tracey has just two months before she has to get
0:09:30 > 0:09:34her woodland creatures approved by Waitrose top brass.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38I'll catch up with her later to find out the fate of Ollie,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and his friends.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Alongside chocolate, there's another Easter product
0:09:47 > 0:09:50that's big business for the supermarkets.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Hot cross buns have been an Easter tradition
0:09:57 > 0:09:58since the late 1600s.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Now we buy the bulk of them from supermarkets,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and many of them are baked in-store.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09In Sainsbury's alone, between January and Easter,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12they produce over 30 million of them.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15But there's something that puzzles me.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16Look at these, they're nice, look,
0:10:16 > 0:10:19but they are exactly the same, which is weird
0:10:19 > 0:10:21because if you bake anything at home the results are variable.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23You never get two things looking exactly the same
0:10:23 > 0:10:28so, how do the supermarkets get all their buns looking identical?
0:10:29 > 0:10:33In-store bakeries have been around since the 1970s.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36The supermarkets know we like the idea of freshness.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Some of what they make is actually prepared off-site
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and just finished off in-store.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Hot cross buns though are one of the products
0:10:46 > 0:10:48that are prepared in the branches.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55This is the Sainsbury's bakery boot camp
0:10:55 > 0:10:58in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00And today, I'm joining in.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Right!
0:11:02 > 0:11:05I'm here with some in-store bakers to be trained
0:11:05 > 0:11:08in how to make hot cross buns, supermarket style.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Simon Rutterford and Rob Pither are our bun instructors.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Here to get us singing from the same hymn sheet.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20The idea is that every store has the same quality of hot cross bun
0:11:20 > 0:11:21by following that guide.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Ah, well, that clears everything up brilliantly.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30I like to get a bit creative in the kitchen,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33but here individuality has to stay at home.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36There's no room for artistry and making your own mind up.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38It's science, it's complete science.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46Getting every bun the same in every store takes a very precise method.
0:11:46 > 0:11:52First up, flour. The same standardised stuff at every bakery.
0:11:52 > 0:11:53Precisely half a bag.
0:11:53 > 0:11:558.14 we're looking for back on here.
0:11:55 > 0:11:588.14. Wow, that really is precise.
0:12:01 > 0:12:02There you go, perfect.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07Next, a pre-weighed pack of fat sugar and spices. Then yeast.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10400 grams spot on, to make the buns rise.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Now they get really technical.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18OK, so now we're gonna take the temperature of the flour,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and this is telling the water meter exactly what temperature
0:12:20 > 0:12:22we want our water to be at.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25They need to make sure that when the water is added to the flour
0:12:25 > 0:12:30the resulting mixture is at exactly the same temperature, every time.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36So, you probe the temperature of the flour, and that water machine
0:12:36 > 0:12:39has worked out what temperature the water should be?
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Incredible. Incredible.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45After exactly seven minutes we've got our dough.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Wow, that is a lot more rubbery than I thought it was gonna be,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52that is like rubber.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54We're now going to add the fruit.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Four kilos of it, for every eight kilos of flour.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03With our mix ready, there's even a machine that takes care
0:13:03 > 0:13:06of forming each 65 gram bundle.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13I'm gonna select hot cross bun setting, press my start button.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- Your job now... - What?- Take it off.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21From now on, it's every man and woman for themselves.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24We've each got to get a tray of buns ready
0:13:24 > 0:13:26to the standard needed for a store.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28And Aaron here thinks he's got what it takes
0:13:28 > 0:13:30to make better ones than me.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34- You wanna have a bet, do you? - Sure do.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- All right. Erm, I'll bet you lunch. - Deal.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44I pride myself on my baking, so my reputation's at stake here.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47But this is to a different set of standards than I'm used to.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50Well, they are actually coming out quite rapidly.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52It's crucial for the next stage
0:13:52 > 0:13:55to get them on the tray as neatly as possible.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00- No! Slow it down, please.- That's as slow as it'll go, I'm afraid.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01- It's on the slowest speed?- Yeah.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Right, take that one, put it in the rack.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08We can't take that yet. These are upside down
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- Upside down? - You want the smooth finish.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13Smooth finish on top.
0:14:13 > 0:14:14Well, that's me told.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Let's see if Aaron can do any better.
0:14:17 > 0:14:18We're all counting on you.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Don't let anybody put you off or anything, all right.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Just get this tray straight, for you.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31That one's upside down.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Not really in line there, Aaron, not really up to the standard I wanted.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41At peak times around Easter, Sainsbury's in-store bakeries alone
0:14:41 > 0:14:44are making nearly 1.5 million buns a day.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47This approach allows them to bake on an industrial scale,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50using nearly 500 separate bakeries.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54It's all done to strict time limits.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59But, there are some things about baking you can't hurry.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01It took just 15 minutes to get to this stage.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Now the buns need 45 minutes in the rising cupboard.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09During this time, the yeast in the dough creates gas bubbles,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11and the buns slowly rise.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19They're nearly ready to be baked. But there's one thing missing.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Without crosses these would just be hot buns.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25This is not easy.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Using a piping bag is never, is never easy.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32And here the time pressure is back on.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35A whole tray should be crossed in under a minute.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37He needs to go a lot faster than that.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40The amount of time he's taking to do one tray
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and still have issues along there,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44he needs another week or two at the college I think.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48- I just wanna do a... - Ah, a little bit of customisation.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52- Piping's not really my bag.- Oh, God!
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Next up, my class rival, Aaron.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58Best of luck, son, all right, best of luck.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02Now what would you do...
0:16:02 > 0:16:04This is good training.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06..if there was an earth tremor?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Keep your eye on it, son, keep your eye on it.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Relax those shoulders, all right, relax those shoulders.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14You're too tense, relax the shoulders.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23After 14 minutes on a high heat the buns are baked.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Now there's a vital step that needs doing straightaway.
0:16:26 > 0:16:27Why is he banging the trays?
0:16:27 > 0:16:31That's to stop the hot cross bun from physically collapsing.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Wow.
0:16:34 > 0:16:40It's a clever baking trick. The buns on the left have collapsed.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Inside you can see that the bubbly texture
0:16:44 > 0:16:47is more compressed than in the taller bun.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50That's because the buns have actually been squashed
0:16:50 > 0:16:52by the outside air pressure.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55But bang a bun while it's hot, and you equalise
0:16:55 > 0:16:59the pressure between the outside air, and the bubbles inside.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01And you get a perfect bun.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05So how have we done?
0:17:05 > 0:17:08A splash of sugary glaze and we'll be able to see
0:17:08 > 0:17:10who is king of the buns.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12If I was Gregg I'd be worried.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15His are much better.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Is that one soft enough?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Aaw! You're so cruel!
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Just didn't get 'em out and on the tray straight enough,
0:17:26 > 0:17:29and it was all uphill from there really.
0:17:31 > 0:17:37Judgement time. Whose buns are best? Mine, or Aaron's?
0:17:39 > 0:17:41I don't think he banged his tray properly there.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Gregg, I think, you know, you could safely say that
0:17:46 > 0:17:48most of these are good enough to go on the shelf, aren't they?
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I mean, I mean, your squiggles wouldn't go on.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54We wouldn't like to see the cross that thick as it is there,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57and these wouldn't look so good if they were in a packet of four.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Out of you two guys, I think Aaron's is the better tray.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05Well, you wanted uniformity. I just wanted a decent bun.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- Aaron, no hard feelings. - I won, mate!
0:18:10 > 0:18:12Aaron, it's no disgrace coming second, son.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16It was good, that.
0:18:16 > 0:18:18You know, you see the bakers in the supermarkets
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and you don't ever really give a thought to what's going on there,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24but they really are baking, albeit to a very, very precise recipe.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28And I suppose it does take a bit of the creativity out of it,
0:18:28 > 0:18:29but, that's what it takes
0:18:29 > 0:18:33if you want your product to be exactly the same, every time.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Still to come, I join the hunt for a spring fish dish.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45I've never hunted before. This is really exciting.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49And have a cracking time with eggs.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51- Whoa, whoa, whoa. - You can see it working.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55This just gets crazier and crazier by the minute.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Supermarkets spend a lot of time and money
0:19:07 > 0:19:09studying how we behave in their stores.
0:19:11 > 0:19:16They know that the more they understand exactly how we shop,
0:19:16 > 0:19:17the more they can sell.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24Supermarkets ultimately want us to spend more money every time we shop.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Well, how do they do it?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28The secret is, they look at our eyes.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36This high-tech eyewear tracks, very precisely,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38what the wearer is looking at.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Emily Burrows is a Market Research Specialist,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44who uses this kit to study customer behaviour.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47- So I shop.- Yep.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Do you see what I'm looking at?
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Exactly, so be very careful
0:19:50 > 0:19:53because we can see everything that you're looking at.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Well, come on then.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04I've bravely agreed to expose my peepers,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07while I do a food shop for me and the kids.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10These glasses have miniature cameras onboard.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14They record every tiny movement of my pupils.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Well, we are well set for breakfast.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25By studying what our eyes fix on, Emily can help supermarkets
0:20:25 > 0:20:28design the best way to arrange their stores.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33We're looking for a certain type of eye movement
0:20:33 > 0:20:35when they're actually stopping,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38and it's really quick, it's less than a second,
0:20:38 > 0:20:40but if you're looking at something,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42it shows that it's had some kind of attraction for you,
0:20:42 > 0:20:45so we can start to understand why you've looked at it,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48what attracted your attention to that particular product.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51Where's the frozen bit?
0:20:51 > 0:20:54It's a bit worrying that my eyes are being tracked,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56that everyone can see what I'm looking at,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58cos I'm kind of looking at everything,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00even things I would never buy.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I feel a bit guilty looking at a frozen ready meal.
0:21:04 > 0:21:09So, what will the eye tracking data reveal about how I shop?
0:21:10 > 0:21:12All right, so what did you notice?
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Well, the first thing we notice is, see all of these signs up here?
0:21:15 > 0:21:17You didn't look at any of them when you walked in.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Yeah, come on, they're about twenty feet in the air.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Yeah, you didn't notice any of them. They cost a lot of money,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25but they're not necessarily being used by shoppers.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Eye tracking research has led big retailers
0:21:27 > 0:21:30to de-clutter their stores.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32In fact, Emily has discovered,
0:21:32 > 0:21:37that we only take in 1% of what we see in a supermarket.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39But there are ways to catch our eye.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42Generally, people tend to look between waist and chest height,
0:21:42 > 0:21:45which is about 15 to 30 degrees lower
0:21:45 > 0:21:46than your natural eye level.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51So, products on the top, and the bottom,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53do they suffer as a consequence?
0:21:53 > 0:21:56They do, unless they're products that you definitely plan to buy
0:21:56 > 0:21:59and you're going to look for, if it's a new product
0:21:59 > 0:22:01and it's on the top shelf, and you're not expecting to see that,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04the chances of you ever seeing and ever buying it are absolutely zero.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- Do the brands know this?- Some of them do, some of them don't.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12And there are some surprises about what we use
0:22:12 > 0:22:14to find our way around the store.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18This is really interesting because what you're looking
0:22:18 > 0:22:21straight at here is, the baked beans, the Heinz baked beans,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24but that also means that your eyes are likely to look at the products
0:22:24 > 0:22:27either to the left or to the right,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30in the halo of the signpost brand, which is Heinz.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34So this is why the store's own brand is next to the Heinz?
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Exactly.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39Apparently we use brands, shapes, and colours more than words
0:22:39 > 0:22:42to navigate while we shop.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Two-thirds of the eye hits recorded on this kit are on colours.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52When you're in this kind of aisle there are a lot of packs
0:22:52 > 0:22:55and what is interesting is that you're actually just looking
0:22:55 > 0:22:58at the colour, so you were looking at the background of the blue box.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00You weren't reading the words, you weren't reading the flavours,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02you were just looking at the colour.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04I recognised it not by the words, just by the colour of the box.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09Yeah, we probably read less than six words on the average shopping trip,
0:23:09 > 0:23:10so again it's really important
0:23:10 > 0:23:14that packaging has lots of iconic colours and shapes.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16You can almost remove all of the words
0:23:16 > 0:23:21and you'd have still identified that that was your brand.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23Supermarkets used to move products around to make us
0:23:23 > 0:23:25pay attention to each purchase.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29But Emily's found that if we waste time searching for things,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32we're less likely to buy extra products.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35I want frozen broad beans, that's what I'm after.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Making our shop easy is the secret to us spending more.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43The faster we shop, the more we buy,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46so the quicker that you can get the products into your baskets,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49particularly in these kind of functional categories,
0:23:49 > 0:23:51the more time and the more money potentially,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53you may be spending in other categories
0:23:53 > 0:23:55where you want to spend more time,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57like wine perhaps or skin care,
0:23:57 > 0:23:59so, some of the more involving categories.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03So, whizzing round the shop, actually,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06may lead me to spend money on other stuff.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08Exactly.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12The average time spent in a supermarket is 28½ minutes.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16It's gone down by seven minutes in the last year.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21We now do smaller shops more frequently.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So, the supermarkets want to make the most
0:24:24 > 0:24:27of the precious time that we're in there.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Thank you very much, I really enjoyed that,
0:24:30 > 0:24:31thanks for sharing that with me.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Thank you.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36You know, that really is amazing.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39The supermarkets are using bold colours,
0:24:39 > 0:24:44big brands and simple advertising to make us do one thing.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46And that is shop, very, very quickly.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58The seasons can affect our buying habits in surprising ways.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03There's even one supermarket staple that sees a big spike in springtime.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Plain old eggs.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09You might think that's because it's Easter,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and although egg sales do go up then,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14the real peak is actually Pancake Day.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20In the fortnight leading up Shrove Tuesday,
0:25:20 > 0:25:22we buy 3½ million more eggs a day.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26But eggs are a tricky product for the supermarkets,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and not just because they're so fragile.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34Meeting a short sharp spike in demand is hard to do.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37You can't get a flock of chickens to work overtime.
0:25:37 > 0:25:38They'll only give you one egg a day.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43So where do the eggs for pancake day actually come from?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45- Wouldn't have any idea. - Abroad?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Well I would have thought that as well.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49More chickens? Standby farms?
0:25:49 > 0:25:52What, loads of chickens, waiting around...?
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Doing nothing till Pancake Day, yeah!
0:25:55 > 0:25:59It turns out it takes some clever organisation
0:25:59 > 0:26:02and some even cleverer technology.
0:26:09 > 0:26:11To crack the mysteries of egg production,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I'm starting at a farm in Newbury in Berkshire.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Frances Westerman is the egg buyer for Waitrose,
0:26:17 > 0:26:23and David Priest is one of her 110 egg suppliers.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29These 2,000 free range hens are just some of the 650,000 birds
0:26:29 > 0:26:32it takes to meet Frances' yearly orders.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36How big a deal is Pancake Day?
0:26:36 > 0:26:39We need to get an extra 750,000 eggs,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42which is an awful lot of eggs over that time,
0:26:42 > 0:26:43so it takes a lot of planning
0:26:43 > 0:26:47to make sure that we can get the eggs in stores when we want them.
0:26:49 > 0:26:50Frances has to predict
0:26:50 > 0:26:53what volume of eggs she'll need, years in advance.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Hens don't start laying until they're four to five months old,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00and they reach the end of their laying lifespan
0:27:00 > 0:27:03after 18 months.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06She has to make sure she has the right age of birds
0:27:06 > 0:27:07as well as enough.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09And she has a bigger flock than she needs
0:27:09 > 0:27:11to meet our egg-buying habits.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17We always run with a little bit of a buffer
0:27:17 > 0:27:19because you never have a level demand,
0:27:19 > 0:27:22you don't necessarily buy a pack of eggs every week,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24or two packs every week,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26so, demand goes up and down
0:27:26 > 0:27:30so we use that buffer to get back onto an even keel again.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33So you're actually producing more eggs than you need,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35what do you do with them, the ones you don't want?
0:27:35 > 0:27:38Well, what we do is that we send them for what we term breaking,
0:27:38 > 0:27:41which means we take the shell off and make them liquid egg,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45and liquid egg would be used in quiches or cakes, that sort of thing.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49- Industrial baking? - Yeah.- Ha.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Over 20% of the eggs produced in this country each year
0:27:53 > 0:27:58never make it into an egg box, they go straight into factory made foods.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01So, come Pancake Day, you are taking virtually
0:28:01 > 0:28:04100% of production, there's no buffer at all.
0:28:04 > 0:28:09Correct. Every single egg that's being laid, we're using.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12You can tell me, has any store ever run out?
0:28:12 > 0:28:14Not recently.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17- Not since you've been doing it.- No!
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Frances also has to allow for the fact
0:28:20 > 0:28:23that hens don't lay eggs on demand.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26How do you know which ones have laid and which ones haven't?
0:28:26 > 0:28:28You don't. You don't, you can't tell,
0:28:28 > 0:28:30only when they're in the nest boxes you can tell.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33So you can have a really lazy hen there doing nothing at all,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35- and you wouldn't know?- No!
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Not every hen will lay one egg a day,
0:28:38 > 0:28:42and even with hens kept in high welfare standards like this,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45unexpected things can affect the quality of their eggs.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52OK, so a hen doesn't always get it right,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I mean, mostly they'll produce a perfect egg like this,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58but occasionally, they'll produce something different,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00so, something that looks almost like a pigeon egg
0:29:00 > 0:29:03which is absolutely tiny, to this sort of monster here.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05This egg looks like the mummy's curse.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Like it's been wrapped in bandages, it's all rippled.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11This is what happens when, when something different happens,
0:29:11 > 0:29:12it could be a thunderstorm,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15so you may get a bit of a crack of thunder
0:29:15 > 0:29:18and then the next day you might get a few eggs that come through
0:29:18 > 0:29:21that are a bit odd, but because it's the same amount of shell,
0:29:21 > 0:29:24whether it's for this size egg or this size egg,
0:29:24 > 0:29:26this egg is more likely to be damaged,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29and these would be removed at the farm.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Right, if the chicken gets stressed,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33the likelihood is we get a weird egg.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Yes, but as you can see, it's not every egg,
0:29:36 > 0:29:37so it's the individual chicken,
0:29:37 > 0:29:40just found some situation a little bit different.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43My mum must have been stressed when she gave birth to my brother.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45What about you?
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Well she obviously had a really relaxed, perfect day.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53But if getting the hens to lay the eggs
0:29:53 > 0:29:55is all about calm and tranquillity,
0:29:55 > 0:29:57getting them all out to the supermarkets
0:29:57 > 0:29:59is a white knuckle thrill ride.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Here's all the eggs.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10At this huge packing depot in Wiltshire, John Sayer looks after
0:30:10 > 0:30:13two million eggs a day for Waitrose.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20So these are all the eggs that are waiting to be processed.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23- Yes, exactly. - And they're coming in....
0:30:23 > 0:30:24They're coming in constantly.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26- It's a lot of eggs. - It's a lot of eggs.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Around Pancake Day, the average daily egg numbers
0:30:31 > 0:30:35passing through here swell by an extra half a million.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37I tell you what, one crash in a fork lift,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39this could be one of the most expensive accidents ever.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42- And messy. - And messy.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46Handling so many eggs so quickly is no job for clumsy humans.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50How many eggs are on each of these trays?
0:30:50 > 0:30:52There's 30 eggs on a tray, Gregg,
0:30:52 > 0:30:55and obviously it's picking up two trays worth at a time, 60 eggs.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57- 60 eggs, like, every second? - Yeah.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02It's not touched by human hand, and the machinery is much more sensitive
0:31:02 > 0:31:05- than a human could ever be. - How's it picking them up?
0:31:05 > 0:31:07What it is, it's got...
0:31:07 > 0:31:09Now's the suction. It's sucking, spit.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Sucking, spit.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15Suck 'em up, spit 'em down onto the moving runway.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19How long does it take from a tray of eggs from the farm,
0:31:19 > 0:31:21to a box of eggs for Waitrose?
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- Two minutes. - Never.- Hmm.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- Never.- Yep.- Never.- Yep.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29- Something as delicate as an egg? - Yes.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39They've been using machines to help pack eggs for 20 years,
0:31:39 > 0:31:42but what's really transformed the process is that they've now come up
0:31:42 > 0:31:46with technology that can check the quality of the eggs as well.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Here's the disco part of the....
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Crack it, put it on.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Nobody wants a cracked egg in their box,
0:32:00 > 0:32:05so an automatic camera system rejects any badly-damaged ones.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08There it is. There we go.
0:32:08 > 0:32:09Done.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11That's good. What's that do?
0:32:11 > 0:32:15But some eggs can be fatally flawed with invisible cracks.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20That crack might develop and get much bigger, then if it gets bigger
0:32:20 > 0:32:23it might end up cracking in the pack and ruining the whole pack.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26So, it's really important that we take these very tiny invisible
0:32:26 > 0:32:28hair cracks out.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31Instead of looking for these hairline defects,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34the crack detector actually listens for them.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41Each egg is tapped 16 times.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Now if you imagine you had a cut glass wine glass,
0:32:44 > 0:32:48and you pinged it and then you had a cut glass wine glass
0:32:48 > 0:32:51with a crack in it and pinged it,
0:32:51 > 0:32:53the sound of those two different pings
0:32:53 > 0:32:56would make a different sound resonance.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01The probes each have a metal tip and a small microphone,
0:33:01 > 0:33:05sensitive enough to detect the tiny difference in noise made
0:33:05 > 0:33:08by a cracked egg, than by an uncracked one.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11You can look through there.
0:33:11 > 0:33:12Oh! Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
0:33:12 > 0:33:14You can see it working.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Oh! This just gets crazier and crazier by the minute.
0:33:20 > 0:33:22This kit's worth £3 million,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25and they say it means virtually all the eggs will reach stores
0:33:25 > 0:33:28in perfect condition, so if any are broken,
0:33:28 > 0:33:30well, I'm afraid it's us customers,
0:33:30 > 0:33:33or the shelf-stackers, who are to blame.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35The other great advantage is speed.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38The supermarkets want to get the most out of the eggs' 21-day
0:33:38 > 0:33:42shelf life, and of course, you can't hang about
0:33:42 > 0:33:43when there are pancakes to be made.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47We always say, "From bum to pan, as quick as you can."
0:33:50 > 0:33:54Wow! Who'd have ever believed that it takes all of this,
0:33:54 > 0:33:57this much work, just to give us the eggs we want, when we want 'em?
0:33:57 > 0:33:59But, with a bit of smart thinking
0:33:59 > 0:34:01and the help of some technology, they've cracked it.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Or rather, they've got them ready for us to crack.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17Waitrose are launching a new range of chocolate treats for Easter.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21The Woodland Friends, headed up by Ollie the Owl.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28In charge of the project is Tracey Anderson.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34Here at Waitrose HQ, she's one of 16 product developers
0:34:34 > 0:34:37who put new groceries through their paces.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43The Woodland Friends are four months from their launch,
0:34:43 > 0:34:46and after some remodelling of Ollie to make him fatter,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49four creatures have now been created in chocolate.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56So, very cute, cuddly, and lovely.
0:34:56 > 0:35:01And there's Izzy, in white and pink chocolate which we're hoping
0:35:01 > 0:35:03all the little girls are going to absolutely love.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08And then I've got Hop who's been quite challenging
0:35:08 > 0:35:13from a packaging perspective, in that he's got quite a wide head
0:35:13 > 0:35:15and a white bottom half, so we've had a few challenges
0:35:15 > 0:35:20around how we package him, but he's here today and looking very lovely.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24And then my most problematic one was the hedgehog.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28So this is Spike, and we had a lot of problems in getting the definition
0:35:28 > 0:35:32of the spikes here, so, here we are today with all four characters
0:35:32 > 0:35:34ready to go to product panel.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Before any new product gets launched,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42it has to be approved by a Dragons' Den of bosses.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48The executive chef and heads of branding, technical and commercial,
0:35:48 > 0:35:53will all scrutinise the range for taste and appearance.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56Then vote simply yes...or no.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02About 20% of products fail panel,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05and that could be anything from they don't like the cupcake case
0:36:05 > 0:36:07that our cupcakes might be in,
0:36:07 > 0:36:11or it might be the granular texture of a butter-cream frosting,
0:36:11 > 0:36:13and so, no, not every product passes,
0:36:13 > 0:36:17but I'm hoping for four approvals today.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21If the Woodland Friends are going to make it,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23Tracey and her colleague, Tanya,
0:36:23 > 0:36:25need a full set of yeses from the panel.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30I need a green light to proceed today.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33The timeline is very, very tight and we just need to progress
0:36:33 > 0:36:34to the next stage.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39- Morning, everyone. - Morning.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41Morning, Tracey. Morning, Tanya.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Welcome to our Woodlands Friends panel.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48So here they are in their 3D chocolate glory.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53So I'll pass around... You've first of all got Izzy to try.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59What they're looking at here are still handmade samples.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02Nothing will be mass produced until the panel gives the go ahead.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Do you think that the mould will be able to make sure it's
0:37:10 > 0:37:12all smoothed off and the finish is fine?
0:37:12 > 0:37:15We will, because once we're running actually the factory production
0:37:15 > 0:37:18- the moulds will be better. - So we'll lose this bit?
0:37:18 > 0:37:20We will, we will.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22The thickness of chocolate that we're seeing in these samples,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24- that'll follow through? - It will, yes.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26And what chocolate are we using?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28- Belgian.- Belgian chocolate? - Yes.
0:37:30 > 0:37:33But the panel aren't just interested in taste.
0:37:33 > 0:37:38Tracey also has to satisfy them that the range will really stand out
0:37:38 > 0:37:39to customers.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44I've managed to secure the front of store display units
0:37:44 > 0:37:45to launch these on.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48So this is the first... This is the first fixture
0:37:48 > 0:37:50that a customer will see as they come into branch.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52I think you'll agree with the colour of packaging,
0:37:52 > 0:37:54it has a huge stand out.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00With the presentation complete, it's crunch time.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06So panel, OK, what are your views?
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Does it pass the Waitrose panel test or not?
0:38:12 > 0:38:14In terms of the quality of the chocolate,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17it had a good balance of creamy, slight caramel,
0:38:17 > 0:38:19so I think it... I think it's a yes from me.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23It's not thin, it's going to stand up, it's a big yes from me.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26I think the thickness of the chocolate is great,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29not only does it look great, it tastes great as well,
0:38:29 > 0:38:30so yeah, really pleased.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32I think it's a yes from me, too.
0:38:32 > 0:38:33Yeah, definitely a yes from me.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35You've got a yes from the panel, so well done.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37Phew!
0:38:37 > 0:38:38LAUGHTER
0:38:39 > 0:38:42The furry and feathered friends have made it.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47Just four out of 5,000 new products that Waitrose will launch this year.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52What do we have next, then, Jonathan?
0:38:52 > 0:38:54- What have we got next? - Pizzas.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56Pizzas. Right.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58Basically, that is our green light.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01We now have to make 30,000 of each of them,
0:39:01 > 0:39:05so we just need to get very busy making lots and lots of
0:39:05 > 0:39:06woodland characters.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09In just a few months' time,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Ollie and co will be on sale across Britain.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15I'll be back to see if they fly off the shelves.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25I'm following the supermarkets season by season,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27and this time it's spring.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Because seasons are so important to the supermarkets,
0:39:31 > 0:39:35they like to look for ways to stretch them as long as possible.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38And there's one springtime favourite that shows up
0:39:38 > 0:39:43on the supermarkets shelves the moment Christmas is out of the way.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47Daffodils. Now nothing shouts out spring to me like a bunch of daffs,
0:39:47 > 0:39:49and I don't know about you,
0:39:49 > 0:39:52but I've got no daffodils flowering in my garden till about March.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56So why is it that supermarkets have them on their shelves in January?
0:39:56 > 0:39:58How do they bring us spring so early?
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Cut flowers have become big business for the supermarkets
0:40:06 > 0:40:08in recent years.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12We now spend over £1.8 billion a year on them.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16The daffodil is number three in our top blooms.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18At two, it's carnations.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22And the number one way we say it with flowers is, of course, roses.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Most of the cut flowers we buy come from abroad.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Humble old daffs are grown right here in Britain.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34But before they can be used to convince us
0:40:34 > 0:40:38that spring has come early, they need a little convincing themselves.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43I've come to meet a grower who's picked up on our need
0:40:43 > 0:40:45for a bit of colour in our lives in January.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Apparently he's found a way of fooling his plants
0:40:48 > 0:40:49about what time of year it is.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55It's December. But here in Spalding in Lincolnshire,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57spring is very much in the air.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Generally speaking, you should put your hand up like that there,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06anything what's above the top of that is ready.
0:41:06 > 0:41:09- So each one has got to be picked individually?- That's right.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11And then just snip 'em off at the...
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Robin Chapel has been growing flowers for over 50 years.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- What you done with that one? Look. - What one? Hang on.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22He produces around 4½ million daffs a year.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26His green-fingered know-how has brought on these blooms
0:41:26 > 0:41:28months before nature intended.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33I thought you knew how to use a knife.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34Only with a fork.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40So how has Robin pulled a fast one on these daffs
0:41:40 > 0:41:42to get them ready early?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48The secret is behind these doors.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54Oh, my word! Is this packed full of bulbs all the...? Whoa!
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Whoa!
0:41:57 > 0:42:00These'll be flowering by the first, second week of January.
0:42:02 > 0:42:04How do you make spring come early?
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Temperatures, that's all it is, temperatures.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Everything is temperature-controlled stores, that's what it's all about.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17I've seen the supermarkets use this sort of technique to control
0:42:17 > 0:42:19the ripening of fruit and veg.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Robin's taking this further,
0:42:22 > 0:42:25artificially replicating entire seasons.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30So tricking them into thinking it's different times of the year.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34The daffodils think it's March, when really it's November.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37They have to have the winter before they'll flower
0:42:37 > 0:42:40and then they think it's spring, you see, they've got to have the season.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44Robin's already given the bulbs a summery warm spell,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48now they're in the chiller for an artificial winter.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51And these different temperatures allow the bulbs to develop.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57Let's cut one in half, should we?
0:42:57 > 0:43:00I always cut it that way, some people cut it the other way,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03I always cut it that way, and there's your flower...
0:43:05 > 0:43:06..and there's the bud.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08It's a mini little daffodil.
0:43:08 > 0:43:09There are the petals.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12It's just waiting its time.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22Next it's into the greenhouse for these bulbs
0:43:22 > 0:43:24to give them light and warmth.
0:43:30 > 0:43:34It's kept you fit mate, hasn't it, for a 70-year-old man?
0:43:34 > 0:43:36They're not light, either.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Now we've got to give them 16 degrees more or less constantly.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43- This is convincing them that spring's on its way.- That's right.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46And in two weeks they'll be flowering and ready for sale.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Robin has one final trick up his sleeve
0:43:57 > 0:44:00to make sure the daffodils won't bloom too soon.
0:44:00 > 0:44:04Once again it's about fooling the flowers with temperature.
0:44:08 > 0:44:09This is a great big fridge.
0:44:11 > 0:44:12That's cold.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15So they think they're out in the field
0:44:15 > 0:44:18and another cold spell has hit.
0:44:18 > 0:44:21By chilling the daffs almost to freezing point,
0:44:21 > 0:44:25Robin has pushed the pause button on them flowering.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27- There's no way they're going to open up in here?- No.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29I don't suppose I would have woken up in here either,
0:44:29 > 0:44:31- I mean this is cold. - One degree.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33Is that all it is, one degree?
0:44:37 > 0:44:40Then it's off to the shops in refrigerated trucks
0:44:40 > 0:44:42to keep the blooms closed.
0:44:42 > 0:44:47They won't flower until they reach our vases in a nice warm room.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02Supermarkets might build their calendars around seasonal events,
0:45:02 > 0:45:06but many fresh products that once came and went with the seasons
0:45:06 > 0:45:09are now available all year round.
0:45:09 > 0:45:12And one place where you notice that is the fish aisle.
0:45:13 > 0:45:15Nowadays, most of the seafood we buy
0:45:15 > 0:45:18comes from a handful of main species -
0:45:18 > 0:45:24cod, tuna, haddock, salmon and prawns, they are always available.
0:45:25 > 0:45:30These are species that can be caught or farmed in huge volumes,
0:45:30 > 0:45:33but now overfishing has become a problem,
0:45:33 > 0:45:36and since we buy nearly 90% of fish from supermarkets,
0:45:36 > 0:45:40they're under pressure to help change our fishy habits.
0:45:40 > 0:45:42So, some unfamiliar species
0:45:42 > 0:45:45are showing up on the fresh fish counter.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49- What do you think of that? - Oh, my God.
0:45:49 > 0:45:51- What is it? - I wouldn't know what to do with it.
0:45:51 > 0:45:54I'll make a nice fish soup from it.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56What would you do with that if I gave it to you?
0:45:56 > 0:45:59- Probably give it back. - Would you buy it?
0:45:59 > 0:46:01- No, I wouldn't buy it. - It looks like a duck.
0:46:01 > 0:46:03What do you think of that?
0:46:03 > 0:46:05Argh! Don't, don't!
0:46:05 > 0:46:06It's just a fish!
0:46:07 > 0:46:11In fact, it's called a gurnard and it can be caught
0:46:11 > 0:46:14off the south-west coast of England in springtime.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17The supermarkets reckon we could be persuaded
0:46:17 > 0:46:20to try these more seasonal species.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23But sourcing them is quite a challenge.
0:46:23 > 0:46:25Large bass, then. 14 on the bass.
0:46:25 > 0:46:2920, 30, 40, 50, 60...
0:46:29 > 0:46:31Before the days of industrial-scale fishing,
0:46:31 > 0:46:35our choice of fish depended on the time of year.
0:46:35 > 0:46:39So I'm at Brixham Fish Market in Devon, England's largest,
0:46:39 > 0:46:41to see what's available in springtime.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46I love markets. Outside, the rest of the world's asleep,
0:46:46 > 0:46:50in here, it's just a big buzz of activity, you can feel it.
0:46:50 > 0:46:51It's what I grew up with.
0:46:51 > 0:46:54Fruit and veg market, fish market, very similar.
0:46:57 > 0:46:59'I'm meeting Gary Hooper.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03'He runs Tesco's 480 fish counters, and wants to try and wean us off
0:47:03 > 0:47:08'our reliance on the big five fish species.'
0:47:08 > 0:47:10Right, what are you going to show me?
0:47:10 > 0:47:12'He's here today to see what's fresh in the market.'
0:47:14 > 0:47:17We've got some ling, which is a fantastic alternative
0:47:17 > 0:47:20to things like cod and haddock. So this is a ling.
0:47:20 > 0:47:24It's a lovely white, pearlescent flesh, big chunky flakes,
0:47:24 > 0:47:27and it tastes absolutely fantastic.
0:47:27 > 0:47:29'Spring's traditionally the time
0:47:29 > 0:47:33'when a wider variety becomes available in markets like these,
0:47:33 > 0:47:36'as better weather allows the fishermen to get back to sea.
0:47:36 > 0:47:39'So Gary has plenty of options.'
0:47:40 > 0:47:42You've also got hake.
0:47:42 > 0:47:44I'm a big fan of hake.
0:47:45 > 0:47:46Pouting.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Very under-utilised in the UK, people don't understand,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51that you can eat pouting as an alternative to cod and haddock.
0:47:51 > 0:47:53I recognise him.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57Great these, a red gurnard. Fantastic fish.
0:47:57 > 0:48:00I shouldn't be hungry this time in the morning, you know.
0:48:02 > 0:48:07Gary's able to source 30% of the fish for his counters from here.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Across the year he can get 40 different species,
0:48:10 > 0:48:13buying what's available on the day.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17It's very different from how supermarkets normally work.
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Now fish, as far as I can see, is unique for supermarkets,
0:48:21 > 0:48:24because what they normally like, or what they want,
0:48:24 > 0:48:28is consistency of product and lots of it, regular supply.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30The challenge for us, really, is about getting customers
0:48:30 > 0:48:33to understand that fish is seasonal, that's the first thing.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36It's about catching fish when they're at their best,
0:48:36 > 0:48:39so, in spring we're going to be featuring ling on the counter.
0:48:39 > 0:48:40Obviously, it's a wild species,
0:48:40 > 0:48:42it's the only thing that we still hunt for food,
0:48:42 > 0:48:45and they come in all different shapes and sizes.
0:48:45 > 0:48:48I don't really understand seasonality in fish
0:48:48 > 0:48:52because they're always in the sea, so I don't get why they're seasonal.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55Because at certain times of the year they're reproducing their young,
0:48:55 > 0:48:58so the flesh becomes thin and watery, not great to eat,
0:48:58 > 0:49:01and it's not really responsible to catch things when they're spawning,
0:49:01 > 0:49:02it's best to let them reproduce
0:49:02 > 0:49:04and then we'll have fish for future generations.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07- And they all spawn at different times of year?- Different times.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10So, forgive me, does that mean that fish like cod and haddock,
0:49:10 > 0:49:12that are on our shelves all the time,
0:49:12 > 0:49:14does that mean they're in season all the time?
0:49:14 > 0:49:15No. Things like cod and haddock,
0:49:15 > 0:49:18the big producers will actually catch it when it's at its best,
0:49:18 > 0:49:23so not breeding, and they'll freeze it down, to use in times of spawning.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27Gary and his suppliers try and predict
0:49:27 > 0:49:30which species will be available at different times of the year,
0:49:30 > 0:49:33so he can keep his fish counters filled.
0:49:33 > 0:49:36But fish aren't easy to catch to order.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38And there's no guarantee of a regular supply.
0:49:40 > 0:49:43My next stop is Newlyn in Cornwall, to meet a fisherman,
0:49:43 > 0:49:48who's doing his best to meet the new interest in alternative varieties.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52- Hi, Gregg. - Sam.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55'Sam Lambourne's been fishing for 30 years.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58'He now makes his living supplying sardines to Tesco.'
0:49:58 > 0:50:00- Here we are.- Fantastic.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04Sam, this boat looks completely different
0:50:04 > 0:50:07- to all the other ones in the harbour.- Yep, it's a catamaran,
0:50:07 > 0:50:11we had it built specifically to catch these sardines.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13Only be able to sort of....
0:50:13 > 0:50:17'Sam invested over £400,000 on this boat,
0:50:17 > 0:50:19'so that he could catch sardines
0:50:19 > 0:50:21'to the quality the supermarkets expect.'
0:50:23 > 0:50:26There is specific kit on here for sardine fishing for the supermarket.
0:50:26 > 0:50:32Yes. And, yes, it was very expensive. That net is probably £35,000,
0:50:32 > 0:50:35that's the sort of money we're talking about.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39It's designed to catch sardines at the very best quality that we can.
0:50:41 > 0:50:44'The net has mesh just the right size to hold the sardines,
0:50:44 > 0:50:46'but not snag their gills.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49'Damaged fish are no good for the supermarkets.'
0:50:50 > 0:50:54What we do in the first few hours is absolutely critical,
0:50:54 > 0:50:57to the shelf life of the fish in the supermarket.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00I had no idea a sardine would be so delicate,
0:51:00 > 0:51:04- but every time you touch it you're damaging it.- Yeah.
0:51:07 > 0:51:11Right. Now it's time to see if we can catch some of the fish.
0:51:15 > 0:51:19We're going out at dusk, and what I didn't realise was,
0:51:19 > 0:51:21as the sun goes down,
0:51:21 > 0:51:24the sardines come up closer to the surface to eat.
0:51:26 > 0:51:31'Sam's bought a state of the art fish-finding sonar system.
0:51:31 > 0:51:33'It's precise enough to allow him
0:51:33 > 0:51:36'to identify the species of the fish he's tracking.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40'Sardines swim in shoals with a distinctive shape and density.'
0:51:43 > 0:51:46How will you know on there once you've got it?
0:51:46 > 0:51:49It'll come out as a red bit.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51A distinct red blob.
0:51:53 > 0:51:56'We're nearing the end of the sardine season,
0:51:56 > 0:51:59'when shoals start to split up and head to deeper waters.
0:51:59 > 0:52:02'But Sam hopes there's still a few left to catch.'
0:52:04 > 0:52:06That looks a bit more promising.
0:52:16 > 0:52:20Sam has found a shoal of fish on his radar,
0:52:20 > 0:52:23and now they're chucking the net out, and it's going round
0:52:23 > 0:52:27in a really big loop in the sea, hopefully around the shoal of fish.
0:52:32 > 0:52:33This is really exciting.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48I've never hunted before, but this really feels like hunting.
0:52:54 > 0:52:55Sam, what do you reckon?
0:52:57 > 0:52:59I'm not very optimistic.
0:53:00 > 0:53:01Not very optimistic?
0:53:10 > 0:53:14Yay! Hey-hey-hey!
0:53:16 > 0:53:18We've got a basket of sardines, which looks a lot to me,
0:53:18 > 0:53:22but when you consider all these bins I suppose it's not a great deal.
0:53:26 > 0:53:29You have to take the rough with the smooth, though.
0:53:29 > 0:53:34Over the course of a year, Sam catches about 400 tons of sardines.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40This is seriously unpredictable, isn't it, fishing?
0:53:40 > 0:53:43Oh, yes, I mean, that is fishing, particular at this time of the year.
0:53:43 > 0:53:46We don't panic or get downhearted
0:53:46 > 0:53:49when you have trips that are not so good.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52You know, it won't always happen.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54But if we catch the fish that we need to make this
0:53:54 > 0:53:57make economic sense over the year then, yeah, we all make a living.
0:53:59 > 0:54:01Sales of these alternative species
0:54:01 > 0:54:05still only make up a small proportion of overall fish sales.
0:54:05 > 0:54:10But in Tesco alone, they've grown tenfold in the past three years.
0:54:10 > 0:54:14So perhaps our fish buying habits are starting to change.
0:54:15 > 0:54:17Sam, thank you so much.
0:54:17 > 0:54:19I loved that, I absolutely loved that.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21You guys are absolutely nuts.
0:54:25 > 0:54:28Do you know what? I had no idea really how unpredictable it is.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31It seriously is the last great hunting, going out on a boat
0:54:31 > 0:54:35and not knowing what you're going to get is not easy.
0:54:35 > 0:54:37Those guys are going back out there again.
0:54:37 > 0:54:39They've no idea what they're going to catch.
0:54:39 > 0:54:41They work really hard,
0:54:41 > 0:54:44and that's what it takes to put a fresh sardine on our counter.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55It's early March, and the chocolate factory
0:54:55 > 0:54:59making the new Easter range for Waitrose is firing on all cylinders.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07Each day a different character is being made.
0:55:07 > 0:55:12Today, over 5,000 Ollie the Owls will fly off the production line.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17For David Brian, the Willy Wonka of Woodland Characters,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19this is a satisfying moment.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24When they came to us they wanted something a little bit different,
0:55:24 > 0:55:26and I think, if you actually look at what we've got,
0:55:26 > 0:55:29I think we certainly have delivered it to them
0:55:29 > 0:55:30and, yeah, we're really proud of it.
0:55:32 > 0:55:36And in nearly 300 Waitrose stores around the country,
0:55:36 > 0:55:40the Woodland Range is about to get the VIP treatment.
0:55:41 > 0:55:43With three weeks to go to Easter,
0:55:43 > 0:55:47they're being given pride of place in every store entrance.
0:55:48 > 0:55:53Products only win this spot if they're expected to be top sellers.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56It's a big achievement for product developer Tracey Anderson.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01- Look. - Oh, wow!
0:56:03 > 0:56:05Oh, goodness me.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07It looks fantastic, I'm so pleased.
0:56:07 > 0:56:09Well, you wanted something completely different,
0:56:09 > 0:56:12- have you achieved it? - Yeah, I think we have.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15No-one seems to be following a woodland theme
0:56:15 > 0:56:19and it all seems to be about chocolate bunnies, as we expected,
0:56:19 > 0:56:23so it's nice to have something out there that's a little bit different.
0:56:23 > 0:56:26How important is it that you've got your product out here at the front?
0:56:26 > 0:56:29This is such a coup for us.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33There is literally a bidding war in Waitrose to get products on here,
0:56:33 > 0:56:35because, when you put products on here,
0:56:35 > 0:56:38you tend to double the amount of volume that you typically sell....
0:56:38 > 0:56:40As soon as you stick 'em on there,
0:56:40 > 0:56:41- you can double the sales? - Absolutely.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45It's fantastic. I couldn't ask for more, actually.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49I do think next year, possibly - Gregg the Hippo, chocolate log.
0:56:49 > 0:56:50SHE LAUGHS
0:56:54 > 0:56:58Of course, the true test of success for a new product is sales.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00In their first Easter outing,
0:57:00 > 0:57:03100,000 of the Woodland Friends were sold.
0:57:03 > 0:57:05And Waitrose plan to expand the range.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11I met Tracey six months ago
0:57:11 > 0:57:14and in that time, I've seen drawings on a bit of paper
0:57:14 > 0:57:16become four chocolate characters
0:57:16 > 0:57:19that people all over the country are buying.
0:57:19 > 0:57:22I've only really had a glimpse of the work that goes into this,
0:57:22 > 0:57:23and it's a hell of a lot of work.
0:57:23 > 0:57:24And you don't consider that
0:57:24 > 0:57:26when you're picking up your Easter egg, do you?
0:57:28 > 0:57:30And that's what's really struck me
0:57:30 > 0:57:32during my year with the supermarkets.
0:57:32 > 0:57:35The effort that goes into every product.
0:57:35 > 0:57:40How they plan every detail, based on what they know about us.
0:57:41 > 0:57:43And I've seen how they like uniformity,
0:57:43 > 0:57:46so things are the same wherever we buy them.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50I'm not convinced they love food as much as I do,
0:57:50 > 0:57:54but I've got to hand it to them, I've learnt that it's no easy task,
0:57:54 > 0:57:56trying to feed us all.