In this week's Think Tank, Jonathan Tait suggested it was time to strike a blow for independent producers by forcing certain supermarkets to shut for one day a week and allow farmers' markets to set up in their car parks.
The idea of Sunday markets utilising the car parks of closed-down supermarkets in each town in Scotland has considerable merit and should be pursued. Not only are supermarkets killing town centres; they present us with poor-quality fruit and veg, ready meals stuffed with fat, sugar and salt, and soft drinks with more sugar and chemicals than fruit.
But why Sundays? Current farmers' markets held on Sundays suffer from being highly leisure-market dependent. To be honest, I don't want to do my shopping on a Sunday - and producers need the day off. So come on, bite the bullet and make it Saturday - when most working people have the time to visit.
Anne Thomson, on The Herald website.
AN Outstanding proposition, and one I have long wished for. Supermarkets are a blight on our town plans. They are there for nothing more than outright profiteering. They have no respect for our beautiful country, and fool everyone about freshness levels and quality.
By spending a little extra time and thought we can purchase top-quality fruit, vegetables, meat and drinks at very reasonable prices - not quite as cheap as the supermarkets but vastly superior in taste. We will also have a clear conscience with regards to the environment.
Think of your children's future and what effect shopping in these supermarkets will do. I do most of my shopping at local shops, markets, farm shops and the local fish van, and can confirm the quality I experience is streets ahead of any supermarket.
Colin Keenan, Motherwell, on the website.
I LIVE in Helensburgh, and we have a petrol station that has a supermarket franchise.
It's taking a lot of business from the town centre. They have limited parking in the station, but people use the streets outside and it bogs the whole place up. It makes a nonsense of a residential area.
I don't think we will ever do away with supermarkets, and I support the idea that they will eventually kill local producers. Shopping habits change and nothing stays constant, but it's the overall effect of supermarkets that worries me.
Gordon Tran, Helensburgh.
JONATHAN'S is a wonderful idea. Here in France, all the towns have a weekly or bi-weekly market, although the main advantage here is that all the towns have facilities for these markets. It would be great if the local authorities in Scotland were able to offer the same facilities, but I fear they would impose car-parking charges, much as they have for the town-centre shoppers. The local councils are not noted for their innovative ideas.
Nige, France, on the website.
The Competition Commission has ignored the case that small shops in the high street are suffering because of out-of-town supermarkets.
The Forum of Private Business has highlighted the decline of the high street and the damage caused to producers by the combining of the supermarket groups to drive down prices.
The encouragement of farmers' markets would allow primary producers to sell direct to consumers at fair prices, cutting out the high profit margins of the supermarket middle-men. This would also provide colour and vitality in the high streets.
Jim Gorie, Helensburgh, on the website.
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