I think we need to beware the supermarkets rather than “the new false prophets of our age” (Opinion, 23 April). The British public is persuaded every day to buy ready-prepared food thinking they are getting value for money without comparing weight and size to the basic ingredient or the amount of additives. A packet of asparagus soup contains palm oil, soya, glucose syrup, maize starch, wheat flour, salt, emulsifiers, yeast extract, flavour enhancers, monosodium glutamate, fatty acids, milk proteins, potato starch and more; 5% of the whole is asparagus. Whole aisles in supermarkets are devoted to snack food, full of synthetic flavourings, and the cheapest calories you can buy. And still I know of so many people who think they are getting healthy value for money.
Anne Lindley
King’s Lynn, Norfolk
