FOOD PROTEST

Anyone remember that notion that, when gas prices rose and rose and rose, we (the consumers) would band together, identify one gas supplier (Shell, Esso, etc.) and en masse stop buying gas from them?

Imagine if we, as a community of victims, were able to band together and, for one day, refused to shop at Metro, or Loblaws, or wherever we feel we’re being taken advantage of. Would they get the message? Would they respond with their prices? How about two days? A week? Money talks, and that’s all these guys listen to. So why don’t we give that grocery executive who is now making $ 1 million-plus on our backs something to think about?

As with the gas scenario, at some point the shunned store will have to lower prices to get people back in the door. And when that happens, the other crooks will be incentivized to lower their prices to protect themselves against that store and its new, consumer-driven prices.

One important point: Let’s not take our anger out on front-line grocery store workers for the prices set by their employers. These people, like most of us, are just showing up at work to do a job and provide for themselves and their families. They don’t set prices. And just like us, they have to pay higher grocery prices as well, because just like us, they and their families need to eat. These poor people face a double-whammy: they have to pay more for their food, plus they have to bear the brunt of public anger simply for the uniform they wear.