Poster for the organic fruit and vegetable cooperative, Collingwood, Greg Smith, 1985.

During the 19th century, British, Irish and Chinese market gardeners dominated the Melbourne market. The advent of supermarkets promised a 'new world of shopping'. Self-service, pre-packaged foods, fixed prices, trolleys and checkouts introduced a novel set of rules and conventions. But product choice was sometimes deceptive as a range of standardised brands often took over from speciality and locally produced items. Today, shoppers are returning to stores selling organic and locally grown food.