There can be no more stressful an experience than worry over how to afford to feed yourself or your family.
Yet we have observed a very interesting but also deeply concerning recent trend when buying and consuming our weekly food shop.
Namely, that dishes which are holding their price or have been reduced in price are markedly smaller or contain fewer key ingredients.
Sadly, this is even visible in the baby food market, where some previously thick mixers now dissolve to nothing.
This is obviously an attempt on the part of wholesalers and onward retailers to maintain affordability in a financial downturn, but without cutting into their own profit margins.
What seems not to have occurred to the decision making suits in their mahogany clad executive offices generally nowhere near the coal face of the cost of living crisis facing millions, is that customers are actually rather clever creatures.
They have a range of extensive skills developed over thousands of years of evolution at their disposal that enable them to, for example, see, taste and count - sometimes all at once!
We consequently see supermarket shelves absolutely full of items reaching or even beyond their sell or use by dates.
Customers are aware prices may be slashed radically as these dates approach so, quite understandably, are holding out for bargains. Indeed, some have NO CHOICE but to do this.
But in turn, the supermarkets appear to be trying to hold their pricing nerve (along with those all important profit margins). In many cases this involves simply withdrawing the product rather than discounting.
This type of stand off is of no use to anybody - see our post entitled "There is nothing to be gained from a "Mexican Stand Off"" for reasons.
The plain and harsh fact that needs to be faced head on is that there is not enough money in circulation to satisfy current pricing.
The prevalence and greater use of food banks alone is a testament to this.
The food producers and retailers need to recognise this or face falling into the traps described in our post entitled "The Dangers of Denial to StressBusting™".
Plus, to put it bluntly, the present trend of reducing serving size for the same or even higher prices is potentially extremely dangerous if left unchecked.
It leads, for example, to 4 serious concerns that perhaps need to be addressed at an individual store manager training level:-
● wastage - we hate to think how much food wastage the above is resulting in, and it simply cannot be permitted to continue in times where people are dying across both the developed and developing world from food shortages
● health & safety - we have seen meat that has had its price slashed on use by or best before date at major chains that is grey or browned and patently unfit for consumption. While this is clear to some, it may not be as clear to others who trust their local supermarkets to sell them only safe produce as they have done for many generations
● similarly, parents and carers for babies have to be in a position to afford and purchase baby food which is safe and fit for purpose, as they will otherwise turn to alternatives which may be in no way suitable or even unsafe
● undernutrition - with spend limited, customers may turn to less expensive but equally less nourishing foods which impact their health, such as special daily meal deal offers available at major fast food chains.
If this entirely unacceptable stand off continues, surely it must become a matter for combined or coalition government intervention and emergency legislation - preferably before Winter cuts in and the above physical risks escalate exponentially owing to the turn in weather and related greater infection incidence.
Not to take steps now would show an unforgivable lack of foresight, particularly given the demands that time of year already places on health care systems across the world.
We invite our readers own thoughts, experiences and observations on the above.
For further relevant tips and ideas, see our posts entitled:-
"Learn to "Observe" as opposed to merely "See" to Stressbust™ efficiently"
"Top 10 Super Cost Effective Stressbusting™ Tips to Dietary Wellness that SAVED us money"
SAFE, NUTRITIONAL LOVE
MikeyM™&LouLoU™ 😊😍💛💕 xxxx