Why are cabbages getting smaller and smaller in the supermarket?
Posted by innercosmicexplorer@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 335 comments
Posted by innercosmicexplorer@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 335 comments
NowtInteresting@reddit
De-flation
Colourbomber@reddit
My SO is Polish, they have cabbages there as big as basketballs, I've never seen a cabbage like that here....those are piss poor!
NortonBurns@reddit
My local Turkish store sells those. Massive things. Never bought one because I wouldn't know what to do with it all. [Don't say sauerkraut…I wouldn't know what to do with 3kg of that either ;)
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Curry base gravy
NortonBurns@reddit
Interesting thought. I've been making a variety of curries for 30 years & never put cabbage in one.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Its how the restaurants do it.
NortonBurns@reddit
So I've heard…but that's not something I'm ever going to try again.
If it had made its way into such as the Pat Chapman books or better still someone like Atul Kochhar, rather than just "the Curry Guy" I might trust it more.
I've tried his base recipe & it was rank. I've been feeding small quantities of it into my other curries for about two years now, just to try not to waste anything. The first batch I made into a full curry just went in the bin, it was so bad. I spent some time trying to do the same, feed it into other things, but it didn't work.
Serves me right for blindly following something because YouTube said it was popular.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Your comment made me intrigued as to this book and how Pat Chapmans BIR recipes are made without base gravy.
NortonBurns@reddit
He does use a base - just not one that contains cabbage. The only one i can find with cabbage is 'the curry guy' whose base I have tried [though not the cabbage one]. It was very poor.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Whats in pat chapmans base recipe? I could only gund a preview of the book.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
I think Misti Ricardo recipe uses cabbage.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Pat chapmans recipes are traditional indian not BIR. BIRs definitely use base gravy. Maybe you just made a bad batch.
NortonBurns@reddit
Ermmm. Pat Chapman was the fist author to ever try to bring BIR recipes to general awareness. That was exactly his 'thing', right from the original Curry Club. 'The Indian Restaurant Cookbook' 1984 [which I've owned since the late 80s]
colcannon_addict@reddit
Lol, no it isn’t. This or a close variation on it is what the vast majority of Indian restaurants use. Cabbage my arse.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Ive seen plenty that do. I tried this guys recipe last batch. It isn't great. I don't rate him to be honest. His channel is full of the same dish multiple time with multiple different recipes.
colcannon_addict@reddit
Have you, yeah?. It wasn’t a statement of his quality, it was a statement that this is the broad recipe used by the vast majority of restaurants and it has fuck all to do with cabbage. I’m only basing my opinion on three decades of experience though.
brinz1@reddit
Thats how a lot of Indian restaurants work
Romana_Jane@reddit
I love cabbage curry, it's one of my cheap go-tos. The cabbage is good with peas and/or diced potatoes in the curry too.
Colourbomber@reddit
Bigos.....that's what they make a lot with requires a lot of cabbage as it stewed so it just reduces
Fickle_Style7745@reddit
In Hungary (and some other other countries), we make stuffed cabbage (töltött káposzta, but other countries call it differently), and many people prepare a few kgs whenever they want to make it. It's quite time-consuming (and super delicious). It is quite easy to make as well.
IAmPiernik@reddit
Better weather, more predictable weather. Temperatures are more stable too, my grandmother's tomato's are massive, like both of my fists
Colourbomber@reddit
They do have more consistent weather, they don't have bad weather just 4 proper seasons, which means snow in winter, spring and summer is glorious in Poland
Glum-Manner-9972@reddit
The power of sun
BigFloofRabbit@reddit
Any of the fruits and veg in Poland are generally bigger and fresher than here.
LegitimatelisedSoil@reddit
Fresher? I mean a kiwi still has to travel to both countries neither is gonna be very fresh.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
I may have to try a polish sklep.
Colourbomber@reddit
The biggest I have seen here were the old sklep!
I'd say they bring em back maybe if you have a good one close might be able to get one, believe it or not we rarely go in one.
LegitimatelisedSoil@reddit
Use to have a farm shop near me run by an old woman use to sell cabbages that were as big as a large pumpkin for like £2.
iwanttobeacavediver@reddit
My grandmother grows them and I'm convinced she feeds them with waste from the local nuclear power station because they're usually giant things. They're pretty solid though and absolutely packed tight with leaves.
strolls@reddit
Poor in zlotys, rich in cabbages. Rich in happiness and granny's kapusta.
MickRolley@reddit
All cabbage recipes taken from the Charlie Bucket cookbook over there, lol.
IBenjieI@reddit
Deflation.
BornNectarine_@reddit
Try the green cabbage at the turkish supermarkets. Massive size and very tender leaves 🤌
No-External-2142@reddit
Keir is putting you all on a diet 🤣
Anxious-Molasses9456@reddit
It's been a shit year for crop and fruit
spezisdumb42069@reddit
Good job things are only going to get better in the long term, right? ... Right?!
PlasticCheebus@reddit
So glad we took are country back for this.
TheSleepingNinja@reddit
-laughs in capitalism-
Autofill1127320@reddit
It’s not capitalism that’s increasing fertiliser costs through regulation or carbon taxing agriculture though, is it?
--brick@reddit
surely the soviet and chinese famines causing > 100 million dead means that communism is great at food security !!!!!
yeet_that_account@reddit
I mean, collectivisation did completely end the recurring cycles of famines every few years in both pre-revolutionary China and Russia.
lewisw1992@reddit
You're complaining about capitalism while benefiting from it. No doubt you used a smartphone to post that comment, for example.
Bacon4Lyf@reddit
You complain about society and yet you live in one, interesting 🤓
AndreewTheTwo@reddit
Bro actually had a point
MoisticleSack@reddit
A bad one. Just because something is beneficial doesn't absolve it of it's flaws, otherwise asbestos would still be widely used in construction
Fieryspirit06@reddit
While yes some level of capitalism breeds innovation, unfettered capitalism breeds greed and corruption to the degree of killing the planet
BisonShort1985@reddit
Capitalism doesn’t inherently lead to innovation competition does. Two states could compete leading to innovation. Also market socialism exists (which is the economic system in which markets exist and workers democratic control their cooperative).
Also the idea of there being different “levels of capitalism” is erroneous because a society can either be capitalist or it cannot.
Capitalism will always breed greed because of upper class interests.
--brick@reddit
compete for what?
Easy-Equal@reddit
Lots of very large business are run as co ops
jerrysprinkles@reddit
~cries in Climate Emergency~
LexanderX@reddit
I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a wireless scanner in his hand. And I heard a voice say, "£5 for a meal deal, if you have a club card; 3 for £10 on meat-free meat selection; but price lock the tahini, the houmous, and the gluten-free wine".
Comfortable_Usual279@reddit
Where you shopping for a meal deal to be £5 where I’m from most is £4
WildHotDawg@reddit
Tesco 'Premium' meal deal is 5 quid
Common-Anxiety@reddit
Idk how they are responsible for veggies and fruit not growing.
brakes_for_cakes@reddit
What they mean is, prices will go up because there's a shortage (and therefore increased demand), but they won't go back down to the same level (or at all) when the supply increases.
--brick@reddit
but they are demonstrably wrong lol
brakes_for_cakes@reddit
Eh, probably. Supermarkets tend to cut prices on produce when they can, to get an edge over the other retailers.
It does, however, result in some of the shortages seen recently, because farmers will grow a more profitable crop.
Common-Anxiety@reddit
Oh, lol. That makes way more sense. I thought they were blaming politicians for the size of veggies 💀
--brick@reddit
surely society never had food insecurity !!!!11
hsw77@reddit
If only everyone ate nettles. They're about seven feet tall round here.
boudicas_shield@reddit
Nettle soup is seriously so good, though. We're going brambling on Sunday...I should maybe pick some nettles while we're out and make soup.
PeasePuddingCold@reddit
They are better in the spring, might be a little woody now?
Grello@reddit
True for the tall seeded ones but there is a second flush of nettles this time of year and you can get tender newer ones.
PeasePuddingCold@reddit
Thank you! I didn't know this
plastic_alloys@reddit
Lots of snails and slugs around too 🤤
throwaway64869@reddit
Extra protein!
buford419@reddit
Listen buddy, i've had it with your pro-nettle, anti dock leaf agenda. Claw your way out of the pocket of Big Nettle, before it's too late.
virgin_goat@reddit
Never eat any foraged food thats lower than the tallest dog in the neighbourhood can cock its leg
IWasMisinformed@reddit
/r/fucknettle/
TheRisingPandas@reddit
The very definition of 'there is a sub for that"
MrsSol@reddit
Ahahahaha made me laugh way too fucking much
Dutch_Calhoun@reddit
I do. They make a lovely soup.
Splodge89@reddit
They do. They’re not exactly great for bulk calories if you’re out of food though.
Satoshiman256@reddit
It's been a shit 4 years for life
UnfeteredOne@reddit
You should see the whooper I've just grown and banged half in my stew. I've had leeks the size of cricket bats potatoes galore too. However I will say, they took their time before they really started to kick off
DEADB33F@reddit
Real reason is that growers have realised they can strip off the first few layers of lettuce, cabbage, etc. to go into ready meals, packet sandwiches, salad bowls, bags of pre-chopped salad, etc.
Over time they've got more and more greedy with this practice so the rest of the veg has been getting smaller & smaller as a result.
FearlessAttitude0@reddit
Not necessarily greed, more consumer demand for unseasonal vegetables. White cabbage is grown in winter then kept in cold storage until it’s sent to the shops. During this time the outer leaves deteriorate, and so before being sent to the shops, workers will chop the stem off and peel off deteriorated / discoloured / slimy outer leaves. Earlier in the season this might only be two or three leaves. By now it’ll be considerably more! Buy a seasonal cabbage like a sweetheart cabbage if you want a bigger cabbage!
MidnightStarflare@reddit
My mum grows her own to lessen what she needs to buy, and she's been saying everything is either late, failing, or poor this year. Even her hot house grown tomatoes are only starting to ripen now and it's almost September.
Glittering-Truth-957@reddit
I have about 200 cue ball sized green tomatoes which have been the same size with no sign of ripening since june
confuzzledfather@reddit
Fried green tomatoes it is!
MidnightStarflare@reddit
That's just crazy! Then again that's what the weather does. I know my mum has a recipe for green tomato chutney that she's preparing to brush off this year.
forzafoggia85@reddit
Plus seasonal. It's summer time. Cabbage isn't harvested for the summer in general. It's grown for larger sales volumes in the autumn/winter
Acrobatic_Algae_4936@reddit
Glad someone had pointed this out
turboRock@reddit
Except strawberries apparently. Fuck loads of them this year.
Kind-County9767@reddit
Soft fruits in general have been fine. Root veg not so much.
plumbus_hun@reddit
As someone who has attempted to grow my own food, it really has!! The slugs were a nightmare!
CrazyMike419@reddit
Give them beer. Seriously. Little sheltered tubs around your crops with am inch if tmyoyr shittest and cheapest larger. You will return to find the tubs filled with a nice slug soup
OctopusIntellect@reddit
A shit year for crops and fruit - but also likely to be the best year for crops and fruit that we see for the rest of our lives
KindSheepherder3353@reddit
That gave me goosebumps because you're probably right
Critical-Engineer81@reddit
Soft fruits has been wonderful.
Mistabushi_HLL@reddit
100% this
flabmeister@reddit
Your hands are getting bigger
octopus_dance_party@reddit
Go to the Polish shop, they have cabbages and cauliflowers the size of a small volvo.
elcuolo@reddit
Are you sure your hands haven't got bigger? 🤔
robabz@reddit
Or the Brussels are getting bigger
Burning_Ranger@reddit
Bearing in mind that cauliflower, cabbage, kale, brussels sprouts are genetically identical, at what point does a sprout become big enough to be considered a cabbage and how small does a cabbage have to be before it' a sprout.
rumade@reddit
It's not about size but about growing style. Cabbages grow as a single rosette from the top of the stem, while brussels sprouts grow as multiple rosettes down the side of the stem (and a looser collection of greens on top). If you grow your own cabbages and get them in the ground early enough, you can chop off the main cabbage, cut a cross in the stem, and get 4 smaller ones to grow.
Burning_Ranger@reddit
It was a joke.
robabz@reddit
Ah the great brassica debate, don’t think we need to go back to the dark times when the arguments were raging so hard people couldn’t make sauerkraut!
External-Praline-451@reddit
I hope not! I often take one or two at Christmas, just to be polite and show willingness to revisit my disgust for them. But fuck that if they're monster ones!
DeadBallDescendant@reddit
You seen the state of aubergines recently? My conspiracy theory is that they're ripping them out of the ground earlier to try and get another crop planted before the season's over, but obviously this is based on literally no knowledge of anything.
Cub3h@reddit
When I was in Italy last year I couldn't believe the aubergines, they were at least double the size of the puny ones we get in the UK.
What always makes me laugh is that the moment aubergines are on offer in a supermarket they only sell ones that are the size of a large carrot at most.
LoveLust96@reddit
Last year I grew some squash varieties and after harvesting them all, I found one that was dangling behind a garden statue. It was about 200mm thick and as long as my arm 🤣 not bragging though 😏
rumade@reddit
A friend of mine grows a variety called trombone squash. If the fruits are on the ground, they grow in a spiral shape, but if they're hanging on a trellis they produce a giraffe version of a butternut squash. I've got a photo somewhere of me standing with one that easily comes up past my waist. I think it was about 1.3m tall.
Splodge89@reddit
I grew pumpkins last year. Trained them alone a wall, and was well pleased with the two small galia melon sized ones I got off.
Fast forwards two weeks and the neighbour asked me if I wanted the pumpkin that was growing on his side of the fence. The thing was literally on its own poked through a small gap and had grown there. Was bigger than a football. And his side is shaded!
LoveLust96@reddit
Let’s all hope that next late spring is a lot drier and I may just start out everything inside again like usual. Garden has been a mess this year anyway. I’ve got to get rid of this huge raspberry bush too as it’s literally trailing all over my garden 😭
Splodge89@reddit
I hope so. It was a really slow start this year, I didn’t really bother doing an awful lot other than the fruit trees and bushes I already have. My raspberry is in a pot which really needed splitting as it’s crowded and basically non-fruited this year. My blackberries and apples however have gone absolutely insane.
minecraftmedic@reddit
🇮🇹🍆😮!
shagssheep@reddit
Yea you’re wrong you can’t get two harvests of aubergines they’re a spring planted late summer/autumn harvest crop they won’t grow over winter on a commercial scale
Thestolenone@reddit
Yeah what happened to the huge aubergines? You can probably still get them in Asian supermarkets, they sell all sorts of aubergines. Sadly I don't live near one and can't drive.
Pdonger@reddit
I was thinking about this the other day. I think it’s the same with the cabbages, smaller varieties are more popular as they’re closer to the amount you actually need to make a meal. Hate buying a huge cabbage to make some slaw then having to put cabbage in everything for a week because it’s humungus
Splodge89@reddit
I doubt people actively pick the smaller ones on the shelf when it’s pay per cabbage. If it were weight priced I get it. It’s human psychology, even if you know it will be half wasted you want the best bang for your buck
Pdonger@reddit
Oh yeah absolutely, but the actual cultivars of cabbages/aubergines are obviously smaller varieties nowadays, which were (I believe without much backing me up) selectively bred to be a more manageable size to go and make a specific dish with.
Splodge89@reddit
Often its consistency in size that cultivars are selected for. If they sometimes produce massive ones or tiny ones, they can be difficult to mechanically process. If they are all relatively similar it’s easier to have that consistency and plan around it.
There are also selection guides, especially for veg produced for direct to consumer sale - they want them all to look the same and be the same size for pricing and quality reasons. Causes huge amounts of waste when a pallet of cabbages gets rejected because some are more than the price point they want to meet (even though they may be sold price per cabbage, the supermarkets will pay per tonne)
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
The ones in asian supermarkets are usually quite small. They have a couple of varieties.
buford419@reddit
Hard not to see this as racist ^^^^^^/s ^^^^^^obviously
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
What?
BritshFartFoundation@reddit
I'm like 95% that's not how farming works, but my knowledge all comes from Clarksons farm. What would make more sense is the terrible weather farmers have had the last few years, which means their crops are still taking a full season to grow, but they're not growing anywhere near as big or fruitful because they aren't getting as much energy from the sun. I'm pretty sure they'll still be ready to harvest at the same time of year though and you can't just rip them out 6 months early and chuck in another batch at the opposite end of the year as you should do.
dwair@reddit
I too have been convinced of this for quite some time. There is a farmer near me that has been doing a couple of crops of cabbages a year now.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
They've seen as little sun as the rest of us this year. Another gut punch for farmers.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
But they seem to have been gradually getting smaller and smaller for the last ten years.
rumade@reddit
I think they remove more outer leaves because consumers are very picky about any kind of damage to them
The_Bravinator@reddit
Perhaps there is some global system that is gradually changing across a period of years that may be slowly affecting our ability to grow food in the same ways we're used to.
Ok-Customer-5770@reddit
We grow more foods than we ever have and crop yields are expected to carry on increasing year on year.
OctopusIntellect@reddit
Interesting - who is expecting that?
Ok-Customer-5770@reddit
From memory OECD. Crop yields have already increased by about 75% in the last twenty plus years, the reason the OECD put the increase in yields to between 1% and 2%pa instead of the higher 4% was entirely due to projections in population growth been less than anticipated.
KindSheepherder3353@reddit
Where I'm from, growing up in the 90s they'd get one rotation in a year, two yields, and often a fallow year inbetween to rest the soil. Now those same fields are getting four even five a year, with no fallow years or seasons at all. Our soil is exhausted, nutritional value of crops has been steadily declining and whilst higher yields might seem good on paper, the quality and nutritional value of those crops has completely tanked.
Ok-Customer-5770@reddit
We don’t have any GMO crops in the UK.
KindSheepherder3353@reddit
Yes we do, they're developed over the course of many years and not GMO in the traditional more modern sense but have been slowly modified over time. They are also in the soil in Scotland for testing as far as I am aware. All produce is genetically modified in some way from its original form
Ok-Customer-5770@reddit
You are describing what’s known as ‘agriculture‘. We’ve been doing it for thousands of years you utter nitwit.
Ok-Customer-5770@reddit
"Global food consumption – the main use of agricultural commodities – is projected to increase by 1.3% per year over the next decade, a slower pace than the previous decade due to the foreseen slowdown in population and per capita income growth. "
MikeLanglois@reddit
Of course theres more crop yield, everything getting smaller so they can grow more in the same space!
omniwrench-@reddit
Likely a statistical misinterpretation on your part here.
Just knowing yield (I.e the total biomass of food produced) is increasing, you can’t determine that the size of individual cabbages, onions, or potatoes is increasing
Ok-Customer-5770@reddit
It was more in reference to the doom and gloom.
--brick@reddit
well you're wrong lol
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Or maybe its just easy for simpletons to blame everything on climate change, and relieves them of the burden of critical thinking.
GXWT@reddit
This post initially appeared as a genuine question of curiosity. But it appears I’m wrong, you don’t want to be informed, you want to act like a fucking idiot instead.
You’re smarter than thousands of climate scientists who have spent years researching in their field? Really?
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
If you have some evidence that supermarkets selling small cabbages are due to climate change, im all ears. Many harvests have been poor throughout recorded history, its not a new phenomenon.
GXWT@reddit
I’m not here to provide evidence because climate isn’t my speciality. After thinking about the stuff climate scientists do say and applying some critical thinking, I’m happy to generally accept their findings.
Do you expect me to believe some mad cunt on the internet over them?
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Im deny climate change, so get of your high horse. But it isn't the route cause of everything.
brakes_for_cakes@reddit
This looks almost like English.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Theres a lot going on in the world, and there could be several important factors as to why cabbages on sale in this particular supermarket on this particular day are half the size they were a few years ago.
The mad cunts on the internet the ones who scream climate change as the answer to every question. And get hysterical if any suggests there may be other factors at play.
GXWT@reddit
There could be several factors… but what if one of the big factors is… climate change…?
You’ve just chosen to pre-scrap that factor for no real reason.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Based on what evidence? Are you a cabbage farmer or part of the supply chain? Or just another idiot on the internet that blames everything on climate change? Ive not dismissed it, but i don't believe its the main factor.
GXWT@reddit
There’s about 50 comments all stating weather is to do with a bad crop harvest this year. One of them is bound to have some direct knowledge.
This also begs the question, who are you to reject everyone here? A cabbage farmer? A climate scientist? Dare I say: a beat farmer?
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Just because we had bad weather this year, does not mean climate change.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Its very easy to spot idiots because the have little understanding of nuance. They see the world in absolutes. And should be ignored.
Rev-Counter@reddit
Cabbages are primarily grown for supermarkets. If you believe supermarkets are deliberately choosing to sell small cabbages and are implying large cabbages still exist, where do you think all the large ones have gone? Or is the implication that supermarkets are asking growers to specifically only grow smaller cabbages?
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
If i had the answer, i wouldn't have asked the question. Others have said they still have still have good ones in up market supermarkets so it seem to just, be down to a bad crop this year and buying power.
Different-Estate747@reddit
Only the supermarkets you visit, mate.
The rest of us are given massive cabbages, free of charge, every time we go to the supermarket. They're literally giving them away... great, big fucking MASSIVE cabbages, to us as a conspiracy to make you paranoid about cabbage size.
You ever read or watched James and the Giant Peach? Replace Peach with Cabbage, and you'll get an idea of how far this rabbit hole goes. When was the last time you saw a Cabbage that big?
Coincidence? Or deliberate "fuck you-ery" against you specifically? You don't wanna know the answer.
Gisschace@reddit
But you said they are gradually getting worse over 10 years? So is it a poor harvest or a trend of poor harvests?
2xtc@reddit
I guess your brain and these cabbage have something in common 🤏
spezisdumb42069@reddit
You: sees the effects of climate change right before your eyes
Also you: "Simpletons blame everything on climate change!"
Get in the fucking bin, idiot.
The_Bravinator@reddit
Seems like you already have an idea, then. Do enlighten us.
V65Pilot@reddit
Except that, in the market I occasionally shop in, they have proper sized cabbages and cauliflowers. Yes, they cost over double what was pictured, but they are 3-4 times the size.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Isn't it funny that there have been freak weather occurrences throughout human historical records, yet now they are all caused by climate change.
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
It's the frequency, Kenneth.
Brutal-Gentleman@reddit
Part of this is the economic squeeze of needing to harvest as soon as possible. Better quality produce would wait until it's ready, but farmers are under so much pressure to bring in crops that their literally spraying wheat with weedkiller so they can harvest it two weeks earlier than the season would normally allow
imtheorangeycenter@reddit
Those ones are small, granted. You sure you're not growing?!
Joking aside, I'm sure sizes and yields are all over the shop - and I'm 100% convinced the pricer supermarkets get/are able to buy the best stuff. I've gone into Sainsburys and been dismayed at the size of a Savoy, then next door in Waitrose they have a shelf of bowling ball sized ones. Not a one-off either.
Ping-and-Pong@reddit
Could also just be where the two are sourcing their savoys tbf. Sainsbury's probably has some data that shows less people shopping at Sainsbury's cares ablut the size of their savoys. While waitrose are probably the opposite. Price of savoys are probably influenced by the size and quality as well, so Sainsbury's can save a quid and waitrose will spend extra. You'll probably see the opposite thing happening with other items in the store I would have thought?
YchYFi@reddit
It's big Cabbage. Conspiracy.
PikeyMikey24@reddit
Years are getting worse and worse
EBfarnham@reddit
The glass isn't even half empty, it's fucking bone dry.
plonkman@reddit
It’s just the supermarket getting bigger and and bigger.
Whipit-Whipitgood@reddit
As a single person, this is the ideal size for me. Why do I have to pay the same for this sprout sized one as I would for a family sized behemoth?
NSFW_damaged@reddit
Shrinkflation
Ecstatic_Stable1239@reddit
They are not crème eggs, they grow in fields. We’ve had a shit summer so produce is generally poor. I’m in France soon and cannot wait to go shopping, the produce in uk supermarkets is absolute shit compared to Europe.
Reeochi@reddit
It really is. The fruit tastes really bad in the UK compared to France. I have never ever had a good peach/ nectarine in the UK.
Ecstatic_Stable1239@reddit
The difference is so much isn’t it? I eat so much better when in Europe, even things like carrots taste of carrots!
brianthealmighty@reddit
My old Nan would call them cow cabbages back in the day. Not fit for human consumption.
Reeochi@reddit
Jokes aside, it is obvious someone has used most of the leaves for something else. The shape of the cabbage and the fact there are NO leaves that look a bit rugged around the edges, which inevitably happens when the cabbage is growing in the dirt, show that someone has picked the outside leaves and only left what is close to the core. Probably the supermarkets way to make even more money.
PathPsychological138@reddit
Be thankful you can even go to a sheltered shop to go buy whatever you want at will, stop moaning and buy 2
Reeochi@reddit
Huh? They’ve got a valid question. These cabbages look 1/4th the size of normal ones, but the price never reflects that. “Stop moaning” is such a shit response to complaining something is amiss.
OPjasmine@reddit
What dishes do you make with cabbages? I bought cabbages here, and tried to use them to make Chinese dishes, but the taste was far from what I’m used to in China. It feels like the cabbages here are different from those in China, so I stopped buying them.
Reeochi@reddit
Sauerkraut. Pickled cabbage. Then you can cook that with smoked sausages.
Budget-Share-1807@reddit
Climate change
Reeochi@reddit
Nope. They’re picking the veggies way too early so they can grow multiple in the same season.
Specialist_Shake2425@reddit
It happens to the best of us.
BaddyWrongLegs@reddit
That's just the tip of the iceberg.
Novel_Diver8628@reddit
I’m not in the UK but damn that’s a sad cabbage. Condolences from abroad.
RaspberryJammm@reddit
I genuinely thought this was a lemon when I saw the thumbnail
steven6_p@reddit
This is why I go to chinese supermarkets for fresh veg. They always end up sourcing the biggest best veg from the UK. Supermarkets put prices up and accept smaller produce
Fair-Ice-6268@reddit
Yip grow your own. Back to the 50s we go.
Etheria_system@reddit
Everyone I know who grows fruit and veg for themselves in gardens and allotments has had an absolutely shocking year - the bast majority of their crops have failed because of how wet it’s been. If that’s happening to small scale growers, it’s absolutely going to be affecting farms as well.
Jon_Demigod@reddit
I've had an insanely good year for cucumbers at least. I much on near enough one a day. Size of baseball bats almost.
OrcaResistence@reddit
It's 100% affecting farms it's a shame there was only 2 news articles about it.
pookston@reddit
14 Cauliflowers planted out, of them only one grew into anything resembling food. Then it died from bacterial soft rot
roboticlee@reddit
My plumbs and strawberries grew well this year. Cherry tree about the same as last year. Tomatoes are doing fine.
I think people are not using enough fertiliser or maybe my garden is enchanted.
shagssheep@reddit
Luck plays a big factor and the fact that you’re just one example. My tomatoes in my green house are really good my 100 acres of arable land has been shit and my dads cattle haven’t done very well either
Etheria_system@reddit
It seems to depend on where you live - are you north or south?
roboticlee@reddit
South Yorks.
jonewer@reddit
My stone fruit did very well this year. Huge amounts of plums and cherries.
The pigeons are now very fat.
Whisky-Toad@reddit
Even the wild fruit is shockingly bad, hardly any edible berries about
Shifty377@reddit
I've had more berries than I know what to do with from my garden.
LoveLust96@reddit
I’ve got a raspberry bush that I’ve had for about three years. Started producing fruit last year but they were all yellow and real soft. Not sure if it was the variety or if I got to the fruit too late
Shifty377@reddit
I've generally had mixed success with fruit & veg in my garden, but I planted a couple of canes of Raspberries and Blackberries last year and already they've been prolific.
catchcatchhorrortaxi@reddit
You might just be in a bad area this year, or you’ve been a bit slow off the mark. They were everywhere round our way.
velvevore@reddit
Seriously? I couldn't move for blackberries in my garden, it was a fantastic year
DEADB33F@reddit
Same here (East Mids).
Sloes & blackberries everywhere I look. My two apple trees must have produced a literal ton of apples this year (I've been picking up ~10kg a day for weeks now and it's barely put a dent in what's left on the tree.
Got a good crop of plums on the way and a small damson bush that's normally a bit rubbish but also has a healthy crop that's about ready to be picked.
LoveLust96@reddit
I can second this. Usually every year I start my plants inside the greenhouse around late April or early May and then transplant outside in late may or early June but this year I decided to germinate outside using more seed per hole. Needless to say May was wet and so was June, so absolutely nothing had the right germinating needs. Most seed probably rotted away or got pinched by birds. Glad it’s not just me who’s noticed what a bad growing year it’s been.
two_beards@reddit
Weird - I've had a great year (Kent) for my garden, best for a while. Loads of cucumbers, massive marrows, good corn crop, beetroot, carrots, potatoes - loads of everything. The only thing that's struggled has been cauliflower.
Joefallon1@reddit
Or is the supermarket growing?
alloftheplants@reddit
The year's been crap weather wise, everything's been more expensive for farmers, so the cabbages which previously would be marked as low grade for processing only are being sold on the shelf, because we don't have enough good ones.
penguin-zilla@reddit
Because we don't have enough good ones should not be a reason to mark up a low grade product.
milzB@reddit
I'd rather have tiny pathetic cabbages available than no cabbages. Where I shop, they're sold by weight so you're still getting the same value.
shagssheep@reddit
That’s on the supermarkets regardless of a good year or a bad year they will always find a way to make their profits
penguin-zilla@reddit
Bit of both, on the label they are marked as class 1 but yeah the supermarkets are going to try and squeeze put every penny they can
Teesside-Tyrant@reddit
They aren't, you're just getting bigger.
LungHeadZ@reddit
Well, may I suggest we all dive deep into Brussels sprouts this winter. From the same family but they’re a cool weather crop.
Fishuiin@reddit
they're probably getting smaller in the fields too
frammers@reddit
Prince Andrew and small boats
Vadkatana@reddit
There were some monster red cabbages in Aldi this week tbf
GreyScope@reddit
The big ones are out voting for Reform
Bohemiannapstudy@reddit
Cabbages need sun and well drained soil.
So yeah. This spring, not so great!
davidwinsworth@reddit
Global conspiracy to make ever-shrinking chocolate bars appear larger?
ChannelLumpy7453@reddit
It’s seasonal. By Christmas they will be about the size of a sprout.
buenocarallobueno@reddit
Is no one gonna mention the size of aubergines?
Humble_Message1207@reddit
Massive hands
Even_Bodybuilder3918@reddit
Shrinkflation
Diogenes_of_Sharta@reddit
When does it stop being a small cabbage and start being a large Brussel Sprout?
vandelay1330@reddit
Because it’s raining all over Europe the crops have failed
Funny_Ad4354@reddit
Ok I work supply chains as a manager (until next week when i leave)
Here's the basic rundown
There's massive demand for all food types and the producers haven't adequately provided more land/resources to the production instead relying on quickly turning around the same land/farms/greenhouses one after another.
So basically the same plot is being used more and more to produce vegetables more quickly.
To turn things around quickly they pick them basically the moment its feesible (at least cheaper brands like asda tesco etc do) and replant as soon as they can meaning you get smaller produce.
That combined with the reduction in nutritional content across the board I think the next major issue in food supply will be the utter death of soils ability to grow, for now we are able to use fertilizer to keep things afloat but i dont see it as a long term sustainable solution, hopefully as our population shrinks things will improve.
Top_Opposites@reddit
You couldn’t afford them if they were the regular size
jonathanblue4@reddit
Lizard people are plotting this for years!!!!
Antsplace@reddit
Maybe they are just further away
Next_Stable_9246@reddit
Weather has been shit this year for crops.
Severe_Ad6443@reddit
Massive sprout
cjlcobb@reddit
What do you want? Hormones in your cabbage?? This isn’t America.
Majestic_Matt_459@reddit
You'll still throw half of it away after its been in the Fridge 2 weeks
They're doing you a favour really
tevs__@reddit
This is the real answer. Supermarkets believe we want smaller cabbages as we're not big cabbage eaters nationally. Go to a store for people who do eat cabbage - huge cabbages.
It has been a bad year for growing, but that's not why supermarket cabbages are small.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Naw, i have plans. I wouldn't mind if was actually half the price.
BritshFartFoundation@reddit
They still cost the same to make even if they didn't grow as large this time
Splodge89@reddit
Cost less to transport and package though (not that that is the biggest cost of farming though)
roboticlee@reddit
Chop and freeze.
Prestigious_Mark3629@reddit
I prefer smaller cabbages to half cabbages, its difficult to use up a big one.
microdotsleeve@reddit
Brussels sprouts are getting bigger.
BarryFairbrother@reddit
Liz Truss must be incandescent.
watty_101@reddit
My Cabbages!!!!
marieascot@reddit
The good news is that is makes it easier to win at Crackerjack.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GktZgeOQWUk
LetMain3581@reddit
Aà
ArchangelSoul@reddit
I brought a red one and a white in yesterday. Both 80p but the white one was half the size
seven-cents@reddit
It's a British grown cabbage, and we had a very wet and cold spring
BeastModeEnabled@reddit
Shrinkflation
Zealousideal-Bug4824@reddit
lol 80p,in Africa u get huge for that price and change 15p back if in main city
FunctionOld4351@reddit
Next year they are just going to be sprouts
Select-Edge9932@reddit
Took this photo at my local supermarket yesterday
Inside_Performance32@reddit
Bloody hell where are you shopping , my Sainsbury's and Morrisons have huge ones .
Embarrassed-Ring1638@reddit
The cabbages have stayed the same, its the supermarkets that have got bigger.
ClarkyCat97@reddit
Shrinkflation
Future-Rush5967@reddit
Because us twats will buy whatever they put on the shelves
Pretty_Cap_9032@reddit
Are thumbs getting smaller and smaller too?
Standard_Bit_2569@reddit
It’s a cabbage….
Boy_JC@reddit
Genetic shrinkflation
Trick-Ad-8442@reddit
Shrinkflation
Gingrel@reddit
Your supermarket must be having a problem with shrinkage
Dontbeajerkdude@reddit
Funny how they charge based on weight, only when the shit isn't tiny.
mootymoots@reddit
Same with cauliflower. More leaves than anything else
simonecart@reddit
Thatcher
Longjumping_Print500@reddit
Ours are big
Praetorian_1975@reddit
That’s not a cabbage that’s a cabb you have to wait a little more until you can call it a cabb….age 😉
World-ExplorerEU@reddit
At least the price increases
DEADB33F@reddit
My conjecture on this phenomenon was basically that growers have realised they can strip off the first few layers of lettuce, etc. to go in packet sandwiches, salad bowls, bags of pre-chopped salad, etc.
Over time they've got more and more greedy with this practice so the rest of the veg has been getting smaller & smaller as a result.
AgentOrange131313@reddit
Profits
Lisamatt029@reddit
Hello everyone I’m single and searching for relationship
mattymattymatty96@reddit
Greed
galactabat@reddit
Maybe it's a perspective thing. Is it possible that you're actually getting bigger...?
Significant-Use-8002@reddit
Try Black Cabbage.
x_Willow_x@reddit
Because the price is going up
Good0times@reddit
Uhoh
Andries89@reddit
Because UK supermarkets tend to bid on the cheapest and worst produce available. The good stuff goes to EU
jhughes1986@reddit
Or - hear me out - the universe is expanding. Everything is getting bigger. EXCEPT cabbages, the universal constant.
Frosty_Pepper1609@reddit
Your hands are just getting bigger OP !
warm_sweater@reddit
I believe that is called a “paw” when it reaches that size.
AWildEnglishman@reddit
Someone has been eating their cabbage!
Thesunismexico@reddit
Hands like Andre the Giant!!
InterestingBadger932@reddit
Handre the Giant
Commercial_Level_615@reddit
I read this in Alan Partridge's voice
PurpleEsskay@reddit
You've got it all wrong. It's the supermarkets getting bigger!
BroodLord1962@reddit
It's been a bad year for crops due to climate change. Too much rain and not enough sun
PrestigiousGlove585@reddit
Marks and Spencer’s have nicked all the big ones.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Good to know.
SirCaesar29@reddit
Lidl and Aldi all have big ones where I am. Try those?
spicyzsurviving@reddit
someone should open up a court case... they love those!
RobertTheSpruce@reddit
Are you just walking away from them?
PhilosopherWhole8252@reddit
Global warming
spicyzsurviving@reddit
I've never seen one so small that is tragic, it's like a baby gem lettuce
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Pisstake innit.
spicyzsurviving@reddit
did you buy it?? i honestly wouldn’t be able to pay full price for a pint sized piece of veg 😂
Ninatothenina999@reddit
Cause they are doing stuff to our food and all people want to do is make jokes :) enjoy that lab made sht dawg we all eat it without knowing.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
We have been genetically modifying our food for millennia, mate. Its how we because civilized.
Ninatothenina999@reddit
We can’t simply just have normal food we need all this processed shit just to help the Massive cooperations make an extra profit. These so called “genetically modified” foods are very bad for you and simply don’t offer any nutrients or benefits, they make then cause it’s cheap and fast stop with this bs please. 🤦♂️
Ninatothenina999@reddit
Who tf is we? No pal stop trying to normalise being poisoned by your own government, go to your local shop and look at the ingredients of most the shit you can buy it’s all 💩 fuck knows why you trying to justify it you weirdo.
twovectors@reddit
They keep getting destroyed by a boy in orange with an arrow on his head
ThrowRATraumatized@reddit
Never change r/AskUK 😂
3meow_@reddit
Jesus Christ it's only August and they've got the brussle sprouts out already?!
ddmf@reddit
I got a decent sized one at lidl, I'm sure it was local too - made some food sauerkraut.
GlasgowBAB@reddit
many crops are grown in places where there are more and more restrictions on fertilizer use.. We've also had a pretty meh summer.
ballondaws4289@reddit
Basically a Brussel sprout at this point
TheBeatlesLOVER19@reddit
Brexit cabbage
stevebehindthescreen@reddit
They possibly had to use the first few layers to make their sandwiches due to budget cuts.
Glen1888@reddit
To be honest that size would do me if it was twice as big I would probably struggle to use it
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
I use them for sauerkraut and and curry base gravy. I can't digest them cooked normally due to colitis.
dead-stranded@reddit
A bit early for UK crops ?
Wait a month or two.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Thanks for the informed answer.
Kittygrizzle1@reddit
Looks like a sprout
Blueknightuk77@reddit
Maybe they are just further away.
iCowboy@reddit
Consider it an overachieving sprout.
BocaSeniorsWsM@reddit
Don't get me started on fucking cauli's these days either. Tiny!!
chiltr0n@reddit
Shrinkflation
Libif@reddit
Was thinking the same the other day with turnips
signol_@reddit
Getting people to buy Brussels sprouts by stealth
Strong_Bumblebee5495@reddit
Weird, opposite issue here, can’t cram them in the crisper
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Where?
Strong_Bumblebee5495@reddit
Canada 🇨🇦 cabbages are obscenely huge
Old_Seaworthiness43@reddit
Remember when you told Europe to go away? They were who we bought the bigger ones off ..
BigFloofRabbit@reddit
That is true to some degree for fruit and salad products, we have a bit lower priority in the supply chain and they are less fresh because it takes them longer to get through the border.
For British-grown vegetables like cabbage, though, it is purely down to sodden fields and a grey summer.
LongjumpingCurve1869@reddit
Cos they are vegan
Correct_Detail3725@reddit
I gotta good cabbage in the supermarket.
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
Which one?
Correct_Detail3725@reddit
Tesco in Penzance
buttsparkley@reddit
Stop buying dutch products
innercosmicexplorer@reddit (OP)
They're British
Unlucky-Lack-853@reddit
Could they not just be further and further away?
SmallOne312@reddit
Shrinkflation
Ramtamtama@reddit
We've had a bad growing summer.
I've noticed potatoes haven't been as good this year as they have before
Content_Being2535@reddit
Take it outside the supermarket and it gets bigger again.
Nice_Tie480@reddit
Testicles are too. U can look it up. My left 1 has disappeared.
VampirusSanguinarius@reddit
Bc you were last😏
greensandgrains@reddit
That’s an overgrown Brussels sprout.
SoundandvisonUK@reddit
Global shrinking
Soggy_Zebra6857@reddit
Same with cauliflowers
throwawaysis000@reddit
Those courgettes look pretty sad n'all
-Robert-from-Hungary@reddit
Geez. I've never seen this smol.
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