Nowadays, food is shipped and exported worldwide, which leads to almost infinite food choices in many nations year-round. One the one hand there are benefits to this, since consumers have full access to their favourite food and they can taste food from other cultures. On the other hand, there are also drawbacks, such as the high emissions and poor quality of imported goods.
One advantage is the fact that consumers can eat their favourite food anywhere and at any time. This is especially nice for exotic fruits which don’t grow in one’s own country, such as super-foods like acai or avocado. In addition to that, cultural exchange is promoted. When consumers have the opportunity to try unknown food, they might get in touch with recipes from other cultures and check the countries’ background stories, which might promote cultural and social awareness.
Nevertheless, one clear disadvantage is the pollution which comes with the long transport. Since most food is delivered by plane, by ship or by train, high emissions arise, which cause problems for the environment. Moreover, consumers might not receive fresh food, since especially fruits are harvested too early in order to arrive on time, which often reduces their exceptional taste. One prime example are bananas from South America, which are harvested while they are still green.
In conclusion, there are at least two benefits, the many choices and the cultural aspects, as well as two drawbacks, the transport problems with regards to high emissions and early harvest, to this development.