I came across this picture of the groceries we knew way back in the 50s and early 6os. Many have developed, others have disappeared altogether, or changed name to suit the customers. I recall the soap powder, always powder then, 'OMO' in the shop round the corner and under the sink at home. What happened to that I know not, but I think it still goes by that name in the EU. 'Scott's Porridge Oats' still exists but has now been packed in plastic, while 'Force' wheat flakes I never knew until I lived in London where I took to them for a while in the 70s. 'Tizer' was a common drink then, it might still be in some areas, 'Lucozade' of course abounds though without that orange paper kids used to like around it.
Notice how few exotic dishes appear? This was the days when we 'never had it so good,' which followed on from the days when we 'never had it at all.' So fancy stuff had not arrived, though the expensive shops used by the 'higher classes,' like Bank Mangers, Toffs and Spivs were doing OK. Notice also that 'Own Brand' has not yet arrived in the supermarkets. The supermarkets themselves only arrived in 1950 if I remember correctly, when Mr Sainsbury opened one somewhere in London. We had a At Cuthbert's Co-op supermarket round the corner, built about 1952, which lasted 20 years. I still remember the Dividend number, 47280, which was offered whenever we bought from there.
Today folks complain that supermarkets limit us to what they offer, this is true, and they whine that small shops have closed because of the Tesco's that arrived, which is also true, but they are they ones who stopped using the shops to go to the supermarkets because they were better!
We have so much more and still complain. We have so much more yet more people are struggling to pay bills, and not all of these are wasting cash and failing to budget. Still, the millionaires in the cabinet are doing OK, and they will not remember items we see in this picture, nor will any of them remember struggling with bills...
Albert Goodwin - Westminster
