The government have unveiled plans to allow supermarkets to charge local residents a “a mandatory licence fee”.
Under the plans announced this morning all UK residents will be assigned to their nearest major supermarket. Each supermarket is then mandated to charge its assigned residents a licence fee which will initially be set at £259 a year. In return residents will have assurance that there is a supermarket in their locality at which they can shop.
The system is similar to the BBC licence fee. It will be possible to opt out but only by doing no food shopping at all. Local inspection teams will make random doorstep visits to gain entry to inspect fridges and freezers. Any food found will be deemed to have been purchased at the local licencesed supermarket and the licence fee will be payable. A completely empty fridge and freezer will support a licence fee exemption but it will be subject to random re-inspection.
David Leeson the government’s Sustainable food and Living Minister explained the rationale for the new licence fees
“Supermarkets really are another public service just like schools and hospitals. Unfortunately their margins are now wafer thin. Setco’s profits fell below £1 billion last year for example. So we need to find a way of supporting them. We can just give them money because we haven’t got any- so the licence fee is an obvious and equitable solution. It has worked very well for the BBC for over a century and everyone loves the BBC. Ultimately food is a more essential service than EastEnders.”
Leeson continued
“The licence fee system will only be available to the major supermarkets. This is not for corner shops or so called “Convenience Stores”. The system totally supports our sustainable living agenda. Most 15-minute areas will only have one major supermarket licensed in them and that is where you will do your shopping. End of.”
Leeson denied that the move was in anyway connected to large corporate donations by supermarkets to major political parties
We very rarely go and purchase any food from supermarkets
I get most of my food 99% from my local farmer or supplier. Over my dead body or someone entering my property to check my fridge will i allow this to happen in my house. Sustainable my ass. Mr Leeson can tell his big busi ess friends and major retailers to go and take a flying %£#@ at the moon. These politicians are all crooked or someones puppet.
They can fook off, then fook off some more. Do they believe we are living in Orwells dystopian world????
It’s all about power and control….