“If you take me for an idiot then I'm gonna give you one.”

Welcome to Friday, everyone! My bones are still aching from a 10 mile walk along the Yorkshire coast yesterday and the 4-hour drive home today. I hope, like me, you're settled now for Christmas - and thanks for finding the time to open me up.

This week: a month-long experiment with No Supermarkets that destroyed my faith in the three supers of supers: super convenience, super cheap, super choice. And for the first time, this email's got a theme song! 9999 by the incomparable Cosmo Jarvis, complete with a video shot in his local Sainsbury's. Enjoy!

#10: Supermarkets aren't convenient

At least not for you they're not. Deliberately inconvenient product placement, deliberately confusing special offers, deliberately long queuing times...

#11: Supermarkets aren't cheap

They're a sophisticated con trick. Discounts and promotions only apply to prepared foods, which are high on profits for your supermarket and low on nutrition for your body.

#12: Supermarket choice is terrible!

Your local Sainsbury's outdoes your local shop by 138 soup options to 6. That's ridiculous. Too much choice is psychologically toxic and what use is that excess of choice when it's mostly crap?

Thanks for reading, one and all! I'm excited you're still reading even this little rambly bit at the end - but go! There's just enough time left to buy last minute presents, stock up the pantry and refill the wine cellar.

Just try to avoid the supers, yeah? ;)

I appreciate your eyeballs. Please go on and share if you found something worth sharing (you can even share this email if you click the buttons down below my signature). And December is still a good time for gratitude, so -
THANK YOU AGAIN!
Wishing you a happy Christmas,
-DC