We live in a world where uniformity is not only expected, it is close to being demanded. I cannot work out why. Anyone or any thing that does not conform to some sort of norm is regarded as odd.

Our herd instinct seems to be more pronounced than ever. Many of us want to appear and behave like our neighbour.

Only in the consumer durables with which we equip ourselves, our cars, for example, can we be told apart.

Even this is difficult, sometimes. Driving one sort of very competent, but dull, Japanese car as against another sort of equally very competent, but dull, Japanese car is hardly a statement of individuality.

Must reliability be at the expense of character? At least in the days of my youth there was a lively debate as to whether the Mini or the Imp was the preferred small car.

The answer was more to do with prejudice than performance.

Out in rural areas the urge to conform is getting stronger. Could it be that the choices which we, as consumers, have are being limited by the convenience of those who provide our goods?

It is easier to provide a limited range of products and because of volume, it is cheaper too. Then all that needs to happen is for the consumer to be persuaded that this is exactly what they want.

Modern housing estates, so wonderfully functional and providing such high standards of housing for their residents, somehow make it difficult to tell in which part of the country one is living. The principle of a good standard of housing for all must be applauded.

But one cannot help feel that, for only a little extra money, it may be possible to design in a bit of individuality.

Against this background the pressure groups and promotional councils, who have the temerity to suggest that bland is not necessarily beautiful, are most welcome. Commercial pressures mean that anyone not producing for the mass market has a relatively precarious sales base. The Gloucester Old Spot pig, although delicious, has the obvious disadvantage because, as its name implies, it has coloured patches on its skin.

This means the bacon it provides is not uniform in appearance, and therefore it is not well received in the supermarket outlets upon which producers rely.

So the Gloucester Old Spot is an endangered species. The Large Black pig is in similar trouble. It is uniform in colour. It's just the 'wrong' colour. There is not much point in breeding something whose sales value is, however unfairly, in any doubt.

During the past decade or two the most successful consumer pressure group has probably been the Campaign for Real Ale. In the face of the flood of uniformity CAMRA has stood up for small local and regional brewers, and for their outlets.

Despite predictable Government bungling, when legislation designed to help small brewers did the exact opposite, the range of beers available to consumers remains large. The micro breweries, often based on very few pubs, seem to be thriving. Consumers, properly organised, can get their way.

They need to be persuaded that they want the non-standard. Uniformity is thrust at us from all sides. Events such as British Apple Day remind us that we do not all have to eat the bland Golden Delicious.

There are some wonderful tasting UK varieties, in danger of extinction, which deserve our support. The National Trust does valuable work in reviving ancient orchards with traditional varieties. Taste and variety are important.

From time to we must remind our grocers who is the boss.

Updated: 10:17 Tuesday, October 22, 2002