A Darlington market trader says independents “don’t stand a chance” after supermarkets slashed the price of their Christmas veg - with some charging as little as 5p.
Christine Hanlon, 69, says the supermarkets have stalls like JJ Blair and Sons in Darlington's indoor market where she has worked for 33 years "over a barrel" with low prices. The stall, run by Robin Blair, has traded for 150 years, and is one of two traditional greengrocers left in the market.
As shoppers buy the trimmings for their Christmas Day roasts, the grocer has warned the fight to survive is harder than ever as it battles against big retailers slashing prices.
Christine, 69, said: “It’s been so hard, especially at Christmas.
“They’re selling vegetables for pennies, how can we compete with that?
"People only tend to come down here if the supermarkets have run out of things like parsnips or carrots nowadays.”
On a visit to Aldi on Yarm Road in Darlington the Echo found bags of potatoes and carrots costing just 5p.
Shoppers were crowded around crates of discounted veg, with 2kg sacks of potatoes, once costing £1.32, almost sold out at their new price. A kilo of carrots was reduced from 69p to 5p.
Lidl and Morrisons are also charging just 5p for seasonal some veg, with prices at 15p in Sainsbury's and Tesco, according to Money Saving Expert.
Ms Hanlon says small traders cannot match those prices. At Mr Blair's stand carrots cost £1.53 per kilo on Friday (December 19).
She said: “We’re here every day with the freshest produce, but they go to the supermarket because it’s cheaper.
“The supermarkets have you over a barrel. There are times when I’ll price broccoli at 80p and people put it back because it’s cheaper in Aldi. It makes you feel awful because we work so hard to keep this place going.”
One shopper outside Aldi, who did not want to be named, described the cuts as “unfair competition.”
He said: “It just smacks of unfair competition frankly.
“The big supermarkets are using a pricing gimmick to gain trade from independent grocers, especially at Christmas. It’s no surprise the high street is in decline.”
But another said the discounted prices have made “Christmas a bit easier.”
She said: “Everything is so expensive nowadays, especially food. Having these big discounts make Christmas much more affordable.”
Robin Blair, 80, Darlington's longest-serving market trader, previously told The Northern Echo that he "can't see any turnaround" in footfall at the market after it faced a tough few years.
He said: "I did think I could see a future here, but I do feel a little more concerned about it after recent years. I'm hanging on and not going anywhere, but I am concerned."
Declining footfall in Darlington town centre and rising costs have also added to the pressure of keeping the business afloat.
Ms Hanlon said: “Since the butchers went, our takings have halved.
“Before Covid, we opened 8am until 5pm - now we close at 3pm. Everyone lost hours and most of us work around 30 hours a week.
“I can’t see small businesses surviving, not like this. It’s very hard to compete. But you’ve got to keep going.”
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Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Retailers strive to deliver the best prices and quality for their customers across their range of products.
"Vegetables are a vital part of a balanced diet, and by providing discounts where they can, retailers are supporting healthy eating for households in the run up to Christmas, when many budgets are stretched."
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