Do not help the poor
July 29th, 2009 at 10:21 am by David FarrarAdolf at No Minister blogs:
A couple of enterprising guys have set up a food stores in South Auckland and Wellington where people can go and buy half price groceries. Yes, that’s right, half price groceries. The stores are called ‘Reduced To Clear.’
What a wonderful example of enterprise. What better way to help people through the recession than to provide an opportunity to buy some basic grocery lines like soap, detergent, tinned fish, tinned soups, pasta meals, chocolate, biscuits, nuts, cheese and one day soon, frozen vegetables at half price or less.
Hell, if you can buy groceries at better than half price, who needs a tax cut?
The trick is, these guys buy in from manufacturers surplus stock which has passed its ‘best used’ date but is nowhere near its ‘use by’ date. All the stock on sale is safe to eat or use and complies with all statutory standards.
But that’s not good enough for the Food ****s.
Apparently the ****s are upset because Cadburys‘ products feature. Good God, you can’t have beneficiaries buying chocolate!!!!
As my first ever boss used to say,
“Shoot the bastards!”
I share his despair at the zealots. They are only a short step away from advocating that food they disapprove of be banned.
Tags: Food ****s, No Minister
July 29th, 2009 at 10:27 am
A black market for cheap food will expose the Nazi’s for who they are.
When a special arm of the police is started to search for groups assisting the low socio economic,
we’ll know for sure the type of police state we’re being lead by.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:33 am
“They are only a short step away from advocating that food they disapprove of be banned.”
AKA…The Green party of New Zealand
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:41 am
The poor should now be able to save enough money from the weekly food budget to use for their tertiary education. Problem solved.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:42 am
They have seen a need and hopefully they will make a few bucks, I’m in the area this weekend so will check it out. Main stream super markets sure know how to charge (the bills getting bigger and the trolley load is getting smaller). Thankfully we are a primary producing nation so dairy, veg & meat are still realistic prices, S**T they aren’t. Not you can’t have milk on your Weetbixs but Cokes not a problem, have as much as you like.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:43 am
Can we ask Reduced to Clear to open shops in the towns where the two solo mums live? Surely it would save them 28 bucks a week to offset the TIA cut.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:44 am
We all know the we-know-best group will be “outraged” at anything like this.
Particularly if something involves people having to make personal choices.
What I find “outrageous” in this is the slime being prepared to highlight the views of this group (Edited to get past DPF censorship) instead of ignoring them or, if they deem it news worthy (and christ knows why they should), at least presenting a balanced article.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Looking at the body habitus and demeanour of some of the most vocal campaigners, one has to wonder whether or not they have a normal relationship with food themselves. And whether, if not, they are getting off on controlling not only themselves but the entire population as well.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:49 am
stark contrast to my local dairy selling food past its best before date at double the price
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 10:54 am
I like the concept – a lot, but in when I popped into our local R2C store in Lyall Bay yesterday, I was disappointed to find that it was almost exclusively chocolates and sweets. The place resembled a cut price confectioners rather than a grocery store. I hope they do expand the range to include essentials, but otherwise, I can’t see myself returning
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Problem with things like this is that most people on a low income – low paid or beneficiaries – have an income that’s effectively tagged to inflation. So cheaper goods just mean some character in the government decides the CPI hasn’t risen by quite as much, since chocolate has just got cheaper, so incomes don’t go up, so most people are right back where they started. That’s unless I’ve got it all wrong, which I suppose I might have.
I recall Orwell pointing out that if poor people figured out a way of living cheaper, the result would be their incomes being reduced, so why would thery bother?
[DPF: The CPI does not go off the cheapest price but the average price. If the poorest 10% but food at say 20% cheaper, then the impact on the CPI is it is only 2% cheaper for food, and poorer people are saving 20%]
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Sam B, people arent paid based on their cost of living, their cost of living changes with their pay. Nor would putting off a change in the minimum wage due to lower than expected inflation have any detrimental impact on the poor. Increases in the benefit and the minimum wage beyond inflation are simplistic, bordering on childish, ways of increasing the wage levels for the poor.
The real “problem” with this store is that it doesnt sound targetted at those who really need the discount. But just because it isnt as precise as it could be doesnt make matter very much at all given that it at least helps some of those that need it.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I like the concept – a lot, but in when I popped into our local R2C store in Lyall Bay yesterday, I was disappointed to find that it was almost exclusively chocolates and sweets. The place resembled a cut price confectioners rather than a grocery store. I hope they do expand the range to include essentials, but otherwise, I can’t see myself returning
I suspect that whereas confectionary has a long gap between “best before” and “use by”, most staples become unusable quite quickly … so I would think it quite unsafe to buy and eat time expired meat, fish, milk, etc.
I spent a little time in the middle east where the prevailing belief seemed to be that the product became toxic at the stroke of midnight on the expiry date, and they just didn’t get the idea of aged whisky at all.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 11:57 am
“Sam B, people arent paid based on their cost of living, their cost of living changes with their pay.”
I didn’t say that (though benefit levels are based on a cost of living calculation), I said poorer people’s income largely increases in response to increases in the cost of living.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
There is a difference between “best before” and “use by” – the former is simply an indication of when the product is freshest etc, there is no particular health risk in consumming it after that date (e.g. dry goods my taste stale but otherwise be fine). “Use by” is for products which may become harmful after a particular period of time (e.g. milk).
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I remember the big stink some years ago where a teenage checkout operator refused to accept a WINZ food voucher for alcohol, chocolates or tobacco (I think it was chocolate as otherwise supervisor intervention would have been required). All hell broke loose from the beneficiaries’ side and the poor girl was publically villified and accused of being a privileged middle class brat passing judgment on others (note the hypocritical attitude which ‘allows’ a beneficiary group but not Paula Bennet to vilify someone).
I suspect being a bright and conscientious thing she probably read the staff manual in bed each night including that ceriain items were not to be supplied on WINZ vouchers, but management never insisted on enforcement.
Strictly speaking she would be a party to a benefit fraud offence for supplying such items and was quite right in her refusal, but in the event WINZ as far as I can remember was pretty lame in upholding the rule. Forv all practical purposs – end of rule.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Where is the concern for the poor pigs of the country, most live very comfortably on best before food.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
cool, more fat people clogging the place up. Ha!
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
@ side show bob Most farmed pigs live on grain not scraps.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
We know the greens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ5Ty5iaO3E Libz TV just before last election.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I am curious about your use of “But that’s not good enough for the Food ****s.”
Is this a nod to your moderation regime, or are you afraid to type the word in full?
If you mean to say “nazis” why not type “nazis”?
If you don’t mean “nazis’ and we all think you mean “nazis” then your meaning is lost.
Its a bit like the news saying “slept with” when we know that it wasn’t the sleeping that makes the story, its the fucking, so why not be honest?
Of course, that still leaves open the discussion on why you reach so quickly for labels …
You are debasing the language and the intercourse.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
I read it as “Food Cunts” and was only mildly more confused than I am now realising it to be “Food Nazis”.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I read it as cunts aswell, mainly due to the way it was used the second time in a sentence. hmm there ya go. I see you can slip in nazis
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
KiwiGreg, not around here they don’t Greg. A lot of food is taken from hotels, supermarkets, etc, boiled up and fed to the pigs. A lot cheaper then grain.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Easy fixed.
1. Make sure the shelves are well stocked.
2. Invite the “Fight the Obesity Epidemic” people in to stand between grateful beneficiaries and the low-priced fish, cheese, pasta etc on offer.
3. Open the doors.
Thse busybodies would do better to take their campaign to the Bellamy’s dining room, and possibly the next meeting of the Business Roundtable. They’re not called fat cats for nothing
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
The “food nazi” is Dr Robin Toomath (again!) She had this to say last year:
‘”People are desperate for Nanny State’s help. Parents are desperate for help to get children to eat healthily,” she said.’
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/mike-houlahan/news/article.cfm?a_id=300&objectid=10505902
She was in the paper last week for some other food complaint. Why is this one woman being given such a loud voice in the press? They make her sound like she is part of an enormous group which is not true. This country would be better off if the media vanished entirely – their pages are full of junk because NZ is so dull there is nothing to report on.
When will NZ face the fact that we are a boring nation of mediocre people? I recently noticed that if a foreign show that is playing on TV mentions NZ, it is always that snippet used in the advertising clip. It seems like desperation to me – trying to make ourselves think that other countries consider us as important as we do.
Okay – rant over
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
bharmer July 29th, 2009 at 11:32 am
That’s not the point, the point is that as the cut-price groceries to help the poor that this is being marketed as is a real misnomer. i guess there is nothing like free publicity for new businesses though.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Side show bob is right. I know some pig farmers who are given supermarket stuff that is past it’s used by: packets of choc biscuits, ice cream,bags of chips, etc. You would be horrified at the food that is thrown out and fed to pigs. Such a waste. I’m glad the supermarket is actually selling it to people.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Did anyone see the students in Dunedin a few weeks ago being arrested for raiding the food out of the supermarket bins out back! I think it was on Close Up. This was the same food mentioned here. Past a best by date but still perfectly safe for consumption. The supermarkets apparently weren’t too happy at students using a bit of nous and avoiding paying top dollar for the fresh stuff.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
You are debasing the language and the intercourse.
I think you meant discourse, Jack.
Unless you’re offering.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
And in the parallel universe that is the UK:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1202767/I-afford-live-healthily-says-600-month-benefits-woman-lost-weight-free-gastric-band-surgery.html
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Was the first article on Close Up. The owner clearly stated the difference between “use by” and “best before” and the Food Safety man agreed.
Yet Sainsbury then tried 10 different ways of trying to get the Food Safety man to state that eating food after a best before date was dangerous. You could see FS man was starting to get pissed.
The Sainsbury brings in the food Nazi because they are also selling cheap easter eggs.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
And of course its the Labour voting, middle income bureaucrats who like to dictate to those on lower incomes what and where they may eat. How typically arrogant of them. How dare those who scrimp week to week get the opportunity to have a treat now and then? It’s a far cry from the Labour solution to throw more money at them to make them happy.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Hey, I called in there today and bought about ninety bucks worth of groceries for $35. No chocolate, no confectionery.
Cheese, tinned fish, filter coffee, sliced leg ham, salted peanuts, salted cashew nuts.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Again, its a matter of self-control. There is NOTHING wrong with what the RTC stores are doing, they are providing decent goods (like ham) at reduced prices. It’s mostly a win-win situation. However, the article itself clearly looks biased in favour of the “supreme authority of food”.
What Fight the Obesity Epidemic needs to do is aim to provide healthy food at these reduced to clear prices in order to provide a healthy and affordable alternative, not the other way around. Where I live now (Mandurah in provincial Western Australia) we have a nearby discount supermarket that has plenty of fruit and vegies from top to bottom – (and 99 cent Cornettos during the hot summers). Unfortunately, low food prices mean low profits and return for the farmers – maybe we should bring back subsidies.
Vote:July 29th, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Some things, we know are dangerous to ours and other peoples health
and we tend to discourage them or educate them or indeed ban them
Here is a pretty random list
Not allowed to smoke cannibals
Not allowed to drive fast cars in built up areas or whilst drunk
Not allowed to do your own plumbing
Stongly discouraged from smoking, tramping in the bush alone ,going to sea with out a life jacket
It depends where the line is drawn
Here is an idea,
we know that over eating or eating the wrong food leads to health problems
we know that this in turn put a huge drain on the economy because of health costs etc etc
So we need to incentivefy the purchase of Healthy foods and do something to discourage the consumption of unhealthy foods
(eg ciggies have labels on them saying that they are dangerous to your health)
If we could effectively do this people would be healthier, they would be much more productive at wok we would have better healthcare or build more prison (however we decided to spend the savings) and itt might even help to close the wage gap with Australia
So a balancing act between freedom of the individual and the wider benefits to society is as always, what is called for
Vote:The argument is simply where one draws the line
July 30th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Oh I see, I’m getting the hang of this moderation thing now. A reply suggesting that the ultimate food Nazi will contort her face into the shape of a slapped arse is offensive to good looking arses everywhere. I understand and shall refrain from using such offensive words such as Kedgely and the Greens henceforth. Consider me corrected, if only in a half-arsed way, slapped or otherwise.
Vote:July 30th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Hmmmm, banning food not approved of? Perhaps we could start with school tuck shops yet allow dairies round the corner to 2ltr cokes and big bags of chips for $2, sound idea, lets have Green led hui on the matter where we stroke bearded chins (gener equality in the greens) and pontificate about saving the poor.
Vote:July 30th, 2009 at 5:30 am
Oh Shlt! Hasn’t someone tried that already?!
Vote:July 30th, 2009 at 5:31 am
Rich prick, also try to avoid slandering unions as thugs and co-conspirators on labour led beat ups, as that gets you censored, or so I have heard. HTH’s.
Vote:July 30th, 2009 at 6:51 am
Kapital: the problem is that this is just what Labour tried to do – and the statistics showed that it failed. Mass advertising campaigns and throwing money at the problem did not provide the solution. The fundamental flaw here is socialised medicine. Get rid of that and it doesn’t matter whether half the nation eats itself to death – the other half don’t have to pay. All of these “solutions” are Band-Aids on the gangrenous gash which is public health.
Vote:July 30th, 2009 at 7:17 am
If the treat food is cheap, wouldn’t that mean that you have more money to spend on good food?
My wife went to the Lyall Bay store. Very busy she said! and the attention of the food nazi’s will be manna from heaven for the owners. Best advertising campaign ever!!
Vote:July 30th, 2009 at 8:01 am
The trouble with the mainly Greeny types is they can’t stand people making their own decisions. They must decide for them. We can’t have fattening packets of crisps sold cheaply.
Vote: