As a sponsor of Food, Inc's UK film premiere this month. we were lucky enough to be granted an exclusive interview with Fast Food author and
principal Food, Inc. contributor Eric Schlosser.
With our commitment to green principles and sustainability, we jumped at the chance to put
some questions to the man himself...
What was it about the food industry that first engaged you?
I'd never really thought about food. I just ate it. But as I investigated the workings of the industrial food system, I became alarmed about many of the recent changes that were being deliberately hidden from people. The implications of what you eat and where you buy it are vast, not only for your own personal health, but also for the health of society and the environment. Looking at food seemed like a good way of examining a wide range of complex problems through something simple and concrete. We are connected to all of those problems with every bite.
Do you think the medium of film is as powerful at delivering a message as a book?
They are completely different mediums, and I have tremendous respect for the challenges and the power of both. I think books can explore issues in much greater detail and films have a greater visceral impact. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words can sometimes be true. Ultimately, I think the two art forms can complement each other well.
What response does your material get from the general public?
So far, so good. It is amazing to me that almost ten years after Fast Food Nation was published, it is still being read. And Food, Inc. was perhaps the most successful documentary in the United States last year. I think people realise that the problems at the core of both works aren't abstract and remote. They have profound consequences for all of us.
Have you seen a change in the industry following your books and films?
I've seen an enormous change in mainstream attitudes toward food, though I don't claim responsibility for the change. The sale of organic food has skyrocketed, and people are demanding to know where their food comes from. In response to consumer demand, many companies are now selling food that's healthy for you and produced in a way that's sustainable. But despite a lot of PR, most of the fast food chains are still selling the same old crap.
By how much has your research impacted your own eating habits?
It's made me much more aware. It hasn't really changed what I eat. But it's made me more careful about buying food from producers who are trying to do things the right way. I always try to buy organic and I won't buy any meat produced by the giant industrial meatpackers. I think this industrial meat isn't good for you, or the livestock, or the planet. Ultimately, my work isn't about telling people what to eat. It's about telling them what they're eating and helping them make conscious choices.
Do you ever worry about the repercussions from targeting big corporations like you do?
All the time. But I have a very good libel attorney.
What is the most shocking thing that you have learned about the food industry?
I'm stunned by the cruelty that some companies are willing to inflict for profit. People and farm animals are being harmed in ways that are completely unnecessary.
Is there anything more that supermarkets and consumers can do to improve things?
Supermarkets can do a much better job of creating partnerships with farmers who are committed to organic/sustainable production instead of just dictating the terms of trade to them. And consumers can do a much better job of exercising their power over the marketplace. Every purchase is like a vote for a set of values and business practices. Don't buy anything from the companies that cause all these problems.
Where do you see the food industry in 10 years?
I'm an optimist. I think that, ten years from now, the firms that sell good food will be doing well. And the firms that treat their customers and suppliers with disrespect will see their business suffer. This awful industrial food system is based on hiding the truth from people, and the more people know about it, the less they want to have anything to do with it.
What next for you?
I'm working on a book about an even cheerier subject: nuclear weapons.
Food, Inc is in Cinemas now...
