Try Something New....

I have shopped at ********* (big supermarket) for years, well over 23 because I was shopping there before Harry was born and I have always thought that even though they were a bit more expensive it was worth it because the quality, especially of fresh produce, was better.
We have been getting increasingly frustrated with supermarket shopping in general and have been slowly coming around to the view that the "one big shop" is not a good idea. I always spend much more than I have intended and the 2 for 1 'bargains' seem such a good idea until you realise that 'buy one get one' is actually, more accurately, 'buy one chuck one!'
Over the past weeks we have been disappointed with the short life of most fruit and veg, the tastelessness of meat (even the 'Taste the Difference'/ 'Best quality' products) and the general experience of the supermarket shop.
Last week we went to said supermarket for a few odds and ends and were very surprised at the bill, so we checked all the items, not our usual practice, and found we had been over charged for 2 items.
A lengthy wait at customer services led to a scurrying round the shop to locate the said items by the young assistant. 
Result - Oh it was OUR mistake. The 'offer' product was not, in fac,t the product I had selected but the one next to it! (Millimetres away from it and very easily mistaken. Or is this the point?!). 
OK, so we won't take this product. "Oh I can easily deduct it from your bill, no problem!"
Next product, same explanation given. 
No, I insist, I took it from a promotional display and it was definitely the price I had quoted, not the price on the receipt. 
More scurrying ensued.
"Well I don't know how that could have happened, it was wrongly displayed and we've changed it now but you can have it at the lower price. No problem!" (Or words to that effect.)
So what if I hadn't checked my receipt? 
Am I wrong to assume that most people don't check each item on their receipt? Isn't the speed of the shop what we go to supermarkets for?
I explained my concern and that I was not happy. 
As only one till appeared to be working, I had been kept waiting an inordinately long time as the assistant had let another colleague who was serving another customer 'push in' saying sure, no problem, go ahead", obviously not realising that her kindness was OUR delay and wasted time! Or how many 'No problems' there had been!
So she told me I could make a complaint to the manager. No problem.
Nice! She even offered me a form to do it on! No problem.
She began explaining that I would have to direct my complaint to the two assistant managers as the manager had just jetted off to Florida!! 
Was this meant to make me feel better?
Oh I know, I'm moaning on and there doesn't seem to be any point as supermarkets have got us where they want us, haven't they?
Well, no, we do still have a choice and while we keep shopping at the supermarkets we see the small businesses and the farmers who produce the products being driven out of their livelihoods and dictated to about what and how they produce their goods to serve the big supermarket concerns. 
So, even though it is more inconvenient we have made a decision to buy all of our meat and fresh fruit and veg from a local farm shop while it is still in business! We will be able to afford less but what we do eat will actually taste of something.
There will be some things, tinned goods, washing powders etc., which we will use our supermarkets for, stress on we will use them for, but we seriously will be endeavouring to avoid them whenever there is a possible alternative. 
Going round the farm shop is a delightful experience. And the food is yummy!


(PS the Farm Stall on the photo is the one we shopped at while we were on holiday and it was this that began to convince us that we should stop shopping at supermarkets!)