How to stimulate the economy at the supermarket:

[rucky]

Everybody's gotta eat, right?

Rachel Maddow last night showed Moody's list of the top ways to stimulate the ecnonmy. The top two were Unemployment Benefits and Food Stamps. The way the Republicans put it, the unemployed and impoverished are out blowing their gubmit benefits on booze and drugs and lap dances. Meanwhile, back in the world where common sense applies, it's pretty obvious that what little they receive in benefits will go to the basics: Rent, utilities, and food. With 1 in 4 kids going hungry, the food part is getting a bit precarious for comfort. It also demonstrates that a healthy economy begins and ends at the supermarket. All of the food stamp money will go there, and a good chunk of the unemployment checks, and a good chunk of paychecks as well.

If food stamps can stimulate the economy in a surprisingly effective way, then pretty much anyone who eats can do the same - even without government assistance. There are little things we can do that would make a bigger-than-you-think impact on the economy. If you don't eat, this won't apply to you:

1) Shop at UNION markets. The UFCW is a pretty strong union. Union grocery store employees tend to have a decent benefits package - often for part-time work even. There's a clear path of advancement there, too. I worked in a supermarket to get through grad school, so I have first-hand experience of how this can work. Thanks to the union, the c-section birth of my child cost me $5 + dues!

Career grocery workers can live middle class with union protections. It's getting harder (thanks, Wal-Mart), but it's still doable. And this means more change in the workers' pockets to pass on to other businesses providing goods & services. Doesn't seem like much, but there's about 34,000 supermarkets in the country, employing over 3 million people (about 1% of our population).

If we can keep these supermarkets strong & busy & UNIONIZED, they'll provide more of these stable jobs to the economy. We all can't work at a supermarket, but shopping at one is pretty unavoidable.

2) Avoidable are the Robo-Scanners. A.K.A. the "Job Killer Lane". It saves you no time, unless you're willing to commit the produce codes to memory. The don't do chit-chat very well, either.

3) BYOB. Bring your own bags. It's not only good for the environment, but it saves the grocery on costs that are passed back down to consumers. Supermarket profits depend on high volume and narrow margins. Any breathing room will allow them to stay competitive with the Wal-Marts of the world on price.

[rucky]

1. Oh yeah, and buy local produce when you can.

Even the chains are featuring locally-grown items these days. It's kind of trend now, but if they sell more local produce, they'll seek to carry more.

[Left coast liberal]

20. Not only produce!

Look and see where your bread, salsa, potato chips are made.

Try one that is made the closest to where you live. Local jobs and less shipping involved!

[rucky]

21. Good point.

The more money you can keep within your community, the more you'll see the direct benefits.

[Denninmi]

2. Great ideas.

Question -- how does the average shopper know which stores are unionized. Is there some kind of a list, or a link maybe?

Or, does anyone know which of the national/regional chains to avoid? Walmarticus maximus, obviously, but which others?

[rucky]

5. I wish there was something like that on the UFCW site.

But I couldn't find one. When I moved 5 years ago and started shopping at an unfamiliar grocery chain, I just asked the checker if they were union. :shrug:

[Brickbat]

18. Call your UFCW local and ask.

[me b zola]

3. These are good recommendations

and the choices that I make every day. :thumbsup:

[Speck Tater]

4. Good idea in theory, but...

people living near the edge are going to shop where the prices are lowest, and that won't be union shops. Unfortunately. When groceries take a large portion of my meager lower-class income and shopping at the Walmart saves me 30% on my grocery bill, I simply can't afford to subsidize the middle class union checkers.

On the other hand, there is a certain symmetry to the plan: The bottom rung subsidizes the middle class and the in turn the middle class subsidizes the upper class. The net result is, as it always has been, that the money all flows up hill.

[SheilaT]

7. Another problem is that too many people

think that unions are also the problem. Unions have been demonized in this country for a long time now. The death knell was sounded when Reagan, with the full collaboration of Lane Kirkland, then head of the AFL-CIO, fired the air traffic controllers in 1981.

How DO I find out which of my local grocery stores are union?

[rucky]

8. People do what they can.

And if they have the luxury of a choice, we can only hope they make good ones.

[lunatica]

6. I shop for 95% of my food in Costco and save 100s of $$$$ a month

And I do a lot of small food items shopping in my neighborhood little Korean mom and pop stores.

But I have noticed that when I have to go Safeway that they have a lot of stuff on sale. I guess they must be feeling the pinch.

[Hello_Kitty]

9. I do all 3.

I don't use automatic scanners anymore and I've stopped using the ATM as much as possible. Who knew my bank tellers were such nice, helpful people?

[unblock]

10. interesting that, as you note, republicans can always find waste and fraud in spending on the poor

but can't for the life of them imagine waste and fraud in spending or tax cuts for the rich.

yeah, i'm sure not a single rich person would dream of using their tax cut on booze or drugs or lap dances!

[jtrockville]

11. I don't think the market I shop at (My Organic Market) is union.

It's a small, locally owned, chain of about 5 stores. Not a megamart.

They stock mostly local meat and produce. Of course the canned goods and other dry goods come from all over.

I prefer the friendliness of this store. And also the smallness - I don't need to choose my eats from 10 square miles of stuff (most of which shouldn't even be categorized as "food").

What say the union folks? Is this a good option?

[rucky]

12. I think the main point is to avoid the evil ones.

If the employees seem happy and you feel good about shopping there, sounds like a win-win to me.

[GoCubsGo]

14. In my area, that would mean not eating.

Nothing but "the evil ones" here.

[sarcasmo]

13. Avoid Robo-Scanners when ever you can, save a job.

[flvegan]

15. Know where I can find a list of union markets in my area?

I already do 2 & 3. I'd really like to shop at a union place if I can.

[rucky]

17. Couldn't find anything online, but...

you can call your local chapter...

http://www.ufcw.org/about_ufcw/how_we_work/local_locator/index.cfm

[Motown_Johnny]

16. (kinda off topic, but) go check out the vehicles in a strip club's parking lot

I had to run an errand after work a couple weeks ago and ended up taking a route home that I don't usually take. There are a few strip clubs on that road and I couldn't help notice that the parking lots were overflowing at around 5:30 pm on a weekday.

I also couldn't help but notice that all the vehicles I could see were very expensive ones.


It seems to me that the Republicans are talking about where they spend their tax cuts when they accuse people of wasting their money on booze and lap dances.


Take a drive, check it out for yourself.

[bluestate10]

19. Well, I am part way there.

My favorite grocery store has robo scanners that I don't use, I prefer going through a checkout line. Employees at the grocery seem to be a mix of bread winners, college students and a high schooler or two. I prefer plastic bags, but save my used bags for waste recycling. I have seen other shoppers using their own bags, may be I will try that now that you have pointed out a second benefit of using my own bags.

My favorite grocery is jam packed pretty much every time I go there.