So you're in Morrisons.......

They're probably trying to find some nice big ones for a jacket spud. Instead of buying a bag with mostly little potatoes in?

Do I win?

I have no idea...but I can check with the kitchen.

The product deteriorates once washed so buying better product IMO.

Plus all the fuss over jerseys is unjust now they used to put sea weed over the fields which added to the flavour.

This practice is now not allowed.

That's wrong g my local green grocer said they don't use seaweed but they do.
Maybe its done in different way. But the last few years jerseys have not been as good as they used to.

Not sure about the seaweed stuff!
Going back maybe three to four years, the unique taste was a serious disappointment, because they weren't using it.

I think for the last two years they have been better, but not anything like as good as I can remember.

Another marketing trick by supermarket. Shoppers think the packaged ones will be more expensive and don't look at the price per kilo. The packaged ones are probably the right price and the loose ones a nice little earner for the shop.

"the product deteriorates once washed so buying better product IMO."

Is this an opinion or a recognised fact?

In what way can it deteriorate? They are firm and clean, refrigerated, and used within a few days so I don't buy that!

Neither do I AP.
Put it down to the gullible British public.
Must be better if covered in earth.

most shoppers are easily fooled  -  supo's should play fair though /after Tesco ,Morrisons are  the worst store going for misleading customers

I once saw something advertised as genuine leatherette.
If they can get away with it ..............

Well yes, but the usual term is "Faux Leather" which probably 50% of people don't know what it means.

Like the word "Simulated"..... same thing!

Like when they say "And remember, it's subject to status", and almost sing the words, like it's some sort of bonus feature.

They clean the spuds up then chuck compost over them!

Light is not good for spuds hence if dirty they are protected.
Not much hassle to wash them.

So will it be worth contacting "Watchdog". to complain that they are charging less for graded, washed and bagged "Jersey Royal" potatoes.
to con people to thinking they have got a better product/deal?

Jack Hacksaw 03 May 15 15:14 Joined: 08 Jan 02 | Topic/replies: 2,011 | Blogger: Jack Hacksaw's blog
They clean the spuds up then chuck compost over them!

Yeah, a bit like eggs with sh!t and feathers on them.

Aunty

Popped and got a bag to try.
Will rate them later lol

Jersey spuds lost their taste years ago, now they are so bland and taste no better than other potatoes.

They used to be absolutely delicious and everyone looked forward to them.

even the ones M&S sell are dross, god knows what's happened. I did see something on the TV last year, that some individual/company had recently purchased the biggest majority of the land where they're grown.

I wonder if Money Tree has cooked his spuds yet?

I bought some Jersey potatoes from Jersey and they were carp.

Once you've tasted Sainsbury's Anya potatoes you'll eat nowt else.

anything good goes to France and Italy etc  where they demand and get nice food

we get the crap

i know that for a fact

You get what you pay for

But I think it's sad that we are being fed a marketing line that says 'fresh' fruit and vegetables are better if you buy them sealed in a plastic bag. I don't think so. And if that means I pay a little extra for purchasing loose product ( with/ without soil) then so be it. Don't forget, there's a cost of washing, drying and bagging product in printed bags. Which means in order for margins to be obtained, it's likely the product itself is inferior.

it's a  bit like on-line shopping  - when in bags it's a lottery - buy loose you can get a feel for the product , i agree you also get what you pay for very often when it comes to freah fruit and veg   -that maxim very often doesn't  apply anywhere else  though

that maxim very often doesn't  apply anywhere else  though
_________________

i need to sort my feckin English out   - i don't even understand myself

anyway -if you do go near mmorrisons be careful they don't hoodwink you into buying their 'offers '

iow -  an offer sign for olive oil -but the wrong sized bottle underneath the sign ,so you buy the one at standard price
when you complain they just give you money back - nothing more -and you have to jump through hoops to get that .


coonts  -  typical north of england set up

It's all about how they're cooked imo.

They were rubbish.
No distinct taste like used to have.
Had some special variety from waitrose last week and they better.

Caveat emptor. Shoppers are lazy and thick. I don't ever see such produce without a label underneath telling you how much it is per kilo. You look at the produce and ignore the razzamataaz of the special offer. Their job is to pull your pants down. Our is as consumers is it wear braces or at the least a belt.

I go to Jersey for mine ....... fit in a weekend holiday also.

deleesh

I often only buy 2 spuds , so I'd actually be losing money buying a bag full as they'd only end up growing tentacles

I misread that!

there is a scam on the potatoes ,they hold them back until they are just about ready to turn green  and sell in bulk, if you dont use them quickly their  wasted ,know someone who makes their own oven chips ,chops em up into chips and freezes them ,just adds some oil ,not sure if oven chips are blanched first ?

Diva

A lot of shoppers are women with a couple (or more) of kids in tow. They don't have time or are too distracted to compare price per kilo and just grab what looks cheapest.
Like lambs to the slaughter.

That's rubbish, my misses can spot a bargain from a mile away, just bought this dress shoulda been £149 got it for £139 ,bye the way did the shopping in morrisons got some spuds for a £1 out of date today but they will do for your dinner

I misread that!

If it makes you feel better so did I.

Anyway, had some for dinner last night, and they were a shadow of how things were.

Don't say its because they were washed and bagged, as last week I too hand picked dirty ones, as there was no other option,
and they also were disappointing.

Only a small thing, on the grand scheme, but I used to look forward to them, along with the Summers that just don't happen.

I recall Lloyd Grossman saying ( a few years ago) that he was excited that the "Jerseys" were soon available.
I actually think that was the first year that they were cr@p.

Also have to say that no way are they worth the premium anymore!

I wonder if they are over producing them.

Ok apparently they are not all grown with the seaweed and are now grown under plastic at start to get maximum production.

The need so sell as many as possible has ruined a great product.

Apparently in a recent year they did overproduce them because of the most idealistic growing conditions.

The main problem was that they grew too large for customers requirements so were just allowed to rot.

I had some Cornish new pots last year and they were really nice will look for them again.

...along with the Summers that just don't happen.
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you must live in the north west of England i take it 

Morrisons are regular users of Yoyo pricing one week carrots cheaper in the bag following week cheaper
loose its designed to catch out people.

sainsburys same price

No Coach...."Vale of York" actually!"

potatoes are the devils testicles!

Had another bash with them last night, and to make it interesting I added a couple of regular, "New Season" Baby Potatoes.

Did "Salade Nicoise", so it wasn't a dish overpowered by a strong sauce, and yes, there was a difference (perhaps as I could identify them visually) but not significant enough to rave about, nor to justify 100% price difference.

Morrisons are regular users of Yoyo pricing one week carrots cheaper in the bag following week cheaper
loose its designed to catch out people.

What?
Supermarkets trying to catch out people?
I don't believe it!

No Coach...."Vale of York" actually!"
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Close enough i guess

Expensive potatoes! I notice that Egyptian grown Maris Peer and Charlotte are on sale for half that price. These varieties are excellent for salad use as they have that "new potato" taste when fresh. Be aware though that early varieties are best when just dug and deteriorate rapidly on storage, particularly when in plastic bags as they tend to sweat and will soon begin to rot, so pay attention to the expiry date.Keeping them refrigerated also alters the taste.

Going to try some from each supermarket to see if any are good.

Extra special from sainsbury was a good bag. Proper jersey taste.

Asda jerseys are shocking the quality in the bag was terrible some in bin straight away.
No taste might as well of had cheapo spuds.

I wonder what proportion of the supermarket potatoes are actually grown in earth these days? Aren't the majority grown in deserts? This might be why they lack the taste they once had. Roast spuds don't often taste as nice as they used to.

For example, to get new potatoes into British supermarkets in winter we import them from Egypt. Not that surprising - after all they are going to need warmth and sunlight to grow. But here’s the incredible process:

Seed potatoes grown in Scotland are exported to Egypt
The potatoes are often grown in desert sand, fed by huge sprinkler systems. Because the sand contains no nutrients, fertilizer must be mixed into the water that is sprayed onto them.
Water is a scarce resource in the desert so they drill down over 350m below ground level to a huge water system under the Sahara, which will never be replenished. It takes a staggering 500 litres (880 pints) of water to produce just 1kg of potatoes (2.2lb).
To protect the potatoes on their journey to the supermarket and to retain moisture they are packed with peat – which is bought in from Ireland!
The potatoes then make a huge journey over 2 weeks by specially refrigerated container truck and ship to reach the supermarkets in the UK.

http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=123

makes sense to me stow .




i notice that we import a lot of spuds from belgium - why belgium ? do they have a special soil >?

a bit like Champagne - i'm guessing it's all to do with the chalk in the soil or somethin else similar -  sloping terrain maybe ? climate wise the champagne region is identical to Essex UK