I feel we need to blame someone.
Supermarkets ... they're getting fat on people getting fat.

And yet...

They sell loads of fresh product


Its consumer choice and accurate marketing by the food manufacturing companies, you never see the word "manufacturer" used in conjunction with the businesses who pick produce from the field, wash it and bag it, they aren't manufacturing anything, adding nothing, you can argue that they don't need to bag it at all but at least its still the natural product when you pick it up out of the chiller, there's a slightly different argument for the meat market in that you could confidently argue that most of the meat we buy has been manufactured before it gets to the shelf, but that is nothing compared to what goes into everything else that is contained in a tin or a box.

I am surprised you posted that after my opening line ... which was ''I feel we need to blame someone.''
That was a sprat to catch a mackerel ... knowing how hated supermarkets are by certain people.
I'd got my stirring spoon out.

Fair point.
They also have aisle upon aisle of things that should be only an occasional treat but these things are now seen as staples by many (most?) customers.

Why are so many people fat?
I put it down to the convenience of crap... or the crap of convenience ...
i.e. Bought sandwiches now routinely contain mayo (which is largely fat and extra to what to you would have eaten otherwise), workplaces and schools have confectionery-vending machines, many ready-meals are fat-laden (again extra), portion sizes in general are larger, fast-food is gulped down quicker than the appetite satiation sensors can tell you you've had enough, people take the bus to go one stop or drive when they are only going half a mile, etc etc.
It's just so eeeaaasy to get fat.

It only takes an extra Snickers bar 5 days out of 7 and, inside a year, you'll be 24 pounds heavier, unless you run for 2.5 hours per week to use it up.

I've been getting 4 a day down, for a quid, from my local corner shop.

Usually stick them in the freezer for an hour first to stiffen them up.

It's not just the mayo, the sandwich bread itself is a major problem. Bread made by the Chorleywood process will fill you up at first but is digested so quickly, the satisfaction rarely lasts long. Even wholemeal and granary slices aren't filling, that's why I often see people eating a couple of store-bought sandwiches then looking to suuplement them with crisps or "chocolate" bars. If they made a sandwich from proper bread, they'd have no need for the "extras"

Aye, I had some [iVillage Bakery White Sliced[/i cr@p, this morning with bacon and egg in a triple decker sarnie. Wasn't good. Hopefully it'll break up and be untasteable in my lunch of[iHeinz Tomato Soup[/i. (I'll use a couple of slices for filling). I'll wash that down with a large Brandy in a white coffee, then I'm off down the local for some Stella. Perhaps a delivered takeaway later because I doubt I'll be @rsed to cook.

If only I was joking.

The Chorleywood process is vile.
I'm not sure that Chorleywood-bread is digested quickly but it does take very little chewing and it's in your stomach before you have chance to feel satisfied.
It also lacks flavour so isn't satisfying in that sense either.
Not only that but they don't have to tell you what (possibly GM) enzymes are in it, as they claim that the enzymes are killed by the baking.

But, basically, I agree with your post.

Therefore if I were a laydeeeeeeeeeeee, I'd be sooooooooo thin.

What do we feel about the current rash of cheap to make cookery programmes at a time of obesity?
Now I know they often serve to promote healthy and interesting eating, but does it really work that way?
Such as Minty might put some of the advice to good use, but the vast majority won't.
The programmes only serve (no pun honest) to make us feel hungry and go to the fridge.
Hence counterproductive.

Speak for yourself.

The only time they'd make me go to the fridge is to check whether I had the ingredients to rustle up something similar

But then you're in the 'such as Minty' camp ... did you miss that bit?
And that is a small minority ... I am asserting.
And further to that might I suggest that the contents of the average person's fridge would not support the recipe, so they will scoff what they have instead.

Village Bakery White Sliced Batch Loaf.

Bought it Mon afty / Use by Thurs 1st.

Only any good for toasting come Tues morning.

There is too much boredom eating.