Supermarket rant

I'm getting increasingly sick of supermarkets discontinuing precisely the products I really like. It's happened several times in the last few months and I'm starting to think it's beyond pure coincidence.

Harvest Crunch breakfast cereal comes in three types: one with raisins, one with nuts, one with apple and strawberry bits. I tried all three; I decided the nuts one was far and away the best of the lot. This year they have apparently discontinued just the one with nuts in, while continuing to sell the other two.

Sainsbury's cheese section used to contain the three very similar cheeses Port Salut, St Paulin and Chaumes right next to one another on a shelf. I tried all three, and decided that St Paulin had a perceptible edge in terms of creaminess and taste. This year, it has now disappeared and the only options are Port Salut and Chaumes.

Last week I noticed the Tesco close to ARM, where I walk every day to buy my lunch, was selling little packets of ripe golden pineapple chunks. I thought that would make a nice addition to my midday meal, and indeed it did. So, naturally, I haven't been able to find it since then – all I can find is the huge packet of noticeably less ripe pineapple chunks, which is far too big to eat in one meal.

A couple of years ago I acquired a taste for Sage Derby, from the Sainsbury's delicatessen cheese section. Guess what happened to that. And I used to like Idris ginger beer for its medium-hot quality – so now obviously you can only buy Old Jamaica ginger-beer-of-exploding-doom and Sainsbury's own-brand weak'n'feeble.

I AM GETTING SICK OF THIS. What is it about my taste in food and drink that makes it precisely orthogonal to everyone else's? I've tried complaining to the customer service counter once or twice, and despite their ‘if you do not see what you require, please ask’ signs and eager-to-help manner, nothing has ever come of it.

I'm just amazed they haven't stopped stocking my favourite grape and melon high juice yet. Though they probably will, as soon as I inadvertently bring it to their attention.