WILL conscience ever outweigh convenience at the checkout?

I could not quite believe that the Echo devoted a double-page spread to the opening of yet another supermarket. Is this really newsworthy?

However, on closer inspection this was just a large advert telling us how "cheap" Asda is compared with other supermarkets.

I wonder how many consumers really think about what cheap products at the check-out really means, especially when it comes to the welfare of animals.

If we just take chickens as a prime example then I wonder if people know that we produce 850 million birds annually. You can almost buy a chicken for less than the price of beer. Only five per cent have anything approaching a comfortable life. The vast majority are intensively reared, in prison camp like environments. Most birds have about a A4 space to live in. The death to convenient package process for each bird takes 10 minutes.

To its credit, Asda does have a very good programme for its dairy cows and calves, and was awarded the Good Dairy Award by CIWF for its commitment to ensuring good health and pasture access to its dairy cows producing Asda own-brand fresh milk. It has welfare initiatives across a number of farm animal species, however, to ensure the meat and eggs you buy are from higher welfare systems, people should you look out for RSPCA Freedom Food, free-range or organic labels.

The power to change farming practices lies with you and me, and not just with farmers.

Paul Smith Cheltenham