Dr Dave Beck gave this talk for Part 5 of the ‘Grassroots Policies for Farming, Food and Wildlife’ webinar series, hosted by Citizen Network. In his presentation Dr Beck discusses the harms caused by the monopolisation of supermarkets in the food industry. He also explores the positive possibilities of local currencies. Dr Beck is a Lecturer at the University of Salford, Manchester. The webinar recording is available to watch on Citizen Network's website at: www.citizen-network.org

1. UBI:
Reinvestment in the High Street

2. Introduction: My current thinking…
Interest in local food
Distaste for supermarkets and their impact
I’m a UBI advocate
Arrived via research into food insecurity
Social Security (as a Social Policy) needs to change
This talk is purely theoretical, and I invite
constructive critique

3. Super(duper)markets
They have duped us into ‘accepting’ convenience
Externalised costs of their activities (cheap for consumers)
Oil, monocropping, faux-beauty, farmer poverty., etc…
Strategically planned to be ‘out-of-town’
Motorways & cars
Stack-em-high/sell-em-cheap
Drained the high street

4. Market Share
Share is probably the wrong word, as the big boys don’t share
Top 6 = 80%
Independents = 1.5%
Traditional Top 4
Replaced by Aldi and
challenger Lidl

5. Current Model
Hub
Spoke
Spoke
Spoke
Spoke
Hub
Spoke
Spoke
Spoke
Spoke

6. Ecological
Resilience
Ecosystem's ability to roll with
external shocks
Key - Diversity
Key – Modularity
Our current food security system is
diversified & Modular. But…
At global scale.
We need to develop local resilience

7. Resilient Model?
Transition Towns Initiative (Totnes)
Issues of ‘Peak Oil’ & Climate Change
Tackled via grassroots action & Local economies
Ecosystem of local money
Convertible Local Currency (CLC)
Circulating between consumers, retailers, producers etc.
Could work well with a UBI payment
Reinvestment in our High Streets

8. Case Study:
Bristol Pound
Local suppliers and retailers (not just in food)
Bakers, Butchers, artisans, Architects, plumbers,…
13 farms, local Renewable energy company etc.
Over 900 businesses
Paper and electronic transactions
Facilitated through the local Credit Union
Providing financial support
Obvs dependent upon income (seems quite MC)
But….
Let’s think about this via a UBI payment?

9. Defining
Basic Income
Universal/Unconditional
For everyone (always)
Basic
Your needs
Income
Financial

10. Thanks very much
Dave Beck (university of Salford): University of Salford
That Sociologist: That Sociologist – YouTube
Poverty Research Website: PovertyResearch.co.uk
LinkedIn: Dr Dave Beck | LinkedIn