A Nation of Shopkeepers

As a general rule, I find that people are not Euroskeptic because of big things, such as the awful Common Agriculture Policy, which redistributes millions, billions, of euros to non-sustainable endeavors,  but because of little things.

Here's another little thing: it turns out that the European Commission wants to forbid the sale of "a dozen," well, whatever; in this case, it's eggs. Instead, the Commission argues that product should only be sold by weight, and that if a seller wants to sell something that is light and fluffy, like a bread roll, he should be penalized by the extravagant activity on the part of the yeast.

Your correspondent, for one, welcomes this seemingly ridiculous change, though is disappointed at the lack of vision by the European Commission. After all, we know that old hens (and less healthy hens, such as those without a 'free-range" designation) lay eggs with thinner shells. If we assume that eggs should be sold by weight, shouldn't we consumers also know the weight of the shell? After all, it's unfair to pay extra for slick deceptive packaging! And why shouldn't consumers reward those intrepid and honest businessmen who trade in eggs where you buy the yolk and the white, rather than the useless shell? Young hens and free-range hens are parasites on society and its ovarian needs!

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman notes that "Shopkeeping is a longstanding British tradition." Indeed. And any nation of shopkeepers ought to know when there is a greater good to be performed above their petty, archaic, and selfish ways.