It depends on what you're buying. I haven't really looked but I think everyday goods like fresh milk and bread etc are the same price in Waitrose as in the other large chains. More specialised goods are expensive, sure. But I wouldn't buy taramosalata every day for example.

Anyway my feelings are a little bit hurt when you say that you find it in posh neighbourhoods. I'm not posh! I'm just Greek and it seems, like you, I'm used to a highest standard in food quality.

But that's my point, in the UK this is something that is associated to posh, but it shouldn't be.

Ah, OK. Then I agree absolutely. Brits are sold very low quality stuff. A bit sad, really. And don't let me get started on the quality of fresh fruit and vegetables in this country. Honestly my diet has suffered because it's so hard to find good fruit that I really want to eat- and vegetables are just bland. Then I go back to Greece and eat something stupid like boiled zucchini and potatoes with olive oil and vinegar and I want to cry because everything has a taste.

I guess it's a huge privilege to have grown up with good quality food not just sufficient calories- and being able to eat good food a few times a year still. I freak out a bit when I think how much we can lose with climate change. But that's another discussion.

Anyway this is why I don't like to accuse the Brits of having a crap cuisine (or eating too much meat). They do, but that's because their (other) materials are not very good to begin with. If you think about it, the only stuff that grows locally are cabbage, turnips, potatoes and apples. You can only go so far with that.

I'm sure that's a major reason for all the problems this country has. Food is one of the biggest things in life, up there with companionship, sex, good wine and natural surroundings. If you don't get good food, there will always be something missing from your life.