WAY OFF: Insidious business practices

[Brian Halligan]

Grakkl (FAA) wrote:

> the local grocery store chain (Kroger's) that I've shopped at
> for years suddenly introduced this ridiculous "Plus Card" (tm) that appears
> to save you money and make it seem like they think you're important to their
> business.
> P.S.  Have these things gone nationwide?  Worldwide?  They should be banned
> quicker than human cloning!  :)

Oh, now you've done it. ;-)

They've had them here in Rochester, NY for 2 or 3 years. I totally agree
with you. Of course, in a metro area of about 1 million people, Rochester
has only 2 major supermarket chains. One is Wegmans (which is based here and
probably has 70% of the market), and the other is Topps which is a chain out
of Buffalo. They both have the cards.

Other results of this duopoly are that many poor city residents aren't
served by a supermarket *at all*. Unfortunately, the company that's coming
in to "help" these people is Wal-Mart, who are opening a superstore with a
complete grocery in a part of the city not served by Wegmans or Topps.

Speaking of Wal-Mart and their ilk, on we go to another dilemma. Stores and
plazas are being built everywhere, all the time, yet the population of the
area is stagnant. We're basically creating a landscape of deserted Wal-Marts
and Home Depots that shift from section to section of the ever-increasing
sprawl. And I bet a lot of the other cities in the Northeast are the same
way.

One more thing about the cards. Sure, they save you money but they also
entice you to buy things you wouldn't have even thought about buying
otherwise, or in larger quantities than you normally would. So, in a way,
there also contributing to America's weight problem. :-)

Ah, that felt good.
Brian

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