Here's an interesting article posted on Alternet.org written by Stan Cox, who has done previous work demonstrating that a full-time WalMart employee could not afford to shop for basic needs at Walmart. Well, guess what? Whole Foods - the natural foods giant - falls under the same roof. The article lays it all out, but the bottom line is a new hire working the check-out lines can not afford to buy his/her basic needs at Whole Foods - even without food taxes and after an employee discount! It is fairly obvious that the real problem here is not product, but corporate ownership. When the bottom line is all important, the worker is left behind trying to survive - even if the product is supposedly earth friendly and feel good.
If one is trying to be 100% earth conscience, then no, the average person can not shop at Whole Foods. For the most part, the shoppers are unfriendly and the workers are on a oraganic high horse. On our home budget, we try to be as organic and healthy as we can when food and product shopping. Whole foods is one of the places however that distributes seitan, morning star, boca, and other mock foods at a more reasonable prices then most grocery stores. The advantages come with the disadvantages i guess.
ReplyDeleteWhole Foods and the people who typically shop there are part of the wealthy elite and they should be charged out the wazoo. Coops are for those who are less well off, but unfortunately there are far too few of these around the country. The whole natural/organic food industry is just a continuation of the rich being able to stay healthy, while the poor simply struggle to survive - healthy or not.
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