Supermarkets have never sprung to mind as particularly green, environmentally-friendly establishments – after all, that’s what organic stores and health food shops are for – but it seems that the UK’s major retailers are now making a concerted effort to redress the balance and quieten some of their harshest ecowarrior critics.

Only last month, market leader Tesco announced its intention to open six regional buying offices in the UK as part of its local sourcing campaign, which in itself was an answer to the recent storm around food miles.The retailer has also launched a new rail freight service in order to cut down on lorry usage.

Carrier bags are not immune to this eco-friendly makeover. Our local branch, right next to the Eurofruit Magazine office, has suddently started giving away smaller carrier bags – fine for a sandwich and bottle of coke, not so good for a week’s worth of fruit and vegetables.

Of course, Tesco is not the only retailer taking steps to halt environmental damage. Waitrose is staunchly proud of its local sourcing project, and Sainsbury’s has introduced compostable packaging for 500 of its own-brand products.

But ultimately, how far can a supermarket really go in saving the environment? Keeping prices consumer-friendly does not go hand in hand with a radical ecological policy, and let’s face it, if supermarket prices become comparable to those of smaller food stores, customers will react with their wallets, not their consciences.