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Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

theguardian.com

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Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#61

Post by radcon »

I've noticed a similar thing happening with prepared food. If there are Wawa stores in an area, there usually aren't as many sandwich or salad places nearby as you'd expect. Where I work, your options are basically Wawa or bottom-tier fast-food chains (McDonald's, Taco Bell, etc.). I really wish there were more health-oriented quick-service options (even a Chipotle would be nice), but I don't think they can compete against a place like Wawa since it's good enough for the vast majority of people.

For people scratching their heads wondering what the heck Wawa is, I have no idea what the West Coast equivalent would be. Sheetz is another similar chain on the East Coast, if that rings any bells...

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#63

Post by Theodores »

Interesting that even if you put fresh produce in a 'food desert' that people don't buy it.

I wonder if a lot of this has to do with how family life is going. It is not the 1960's any more and we don't have the whole family sat around the table at dinner time with mum having been home all day keeping the house in order.

For people who don't have a dining room and people to cook for, why lovingly prepare a meal from fresh produce when junk food can be eaten instead? Price isn't everything. Neither is cooking skills or familiarity with what vegetables look like. Ready meals rule in an atomised society.

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#64

Post by behringer »

p49k wrote: post #31
momokoko wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a massive misconception and nicely illustrates how much people are influenced by branding and merchandising. Whole foods 365 brand is actually cheaper than many grocery store generics. The data is available online if you want to explore this further.

Assuming this is true: If you visit WF, your entire shopping needs won’t be met by the available 365-branded foods, which means you’ll either have to shop at multiple stores (extremely difficult if you are poor) or buy the remaining products at severely marked up prices, negating any savings the 365-brands products might have offered. In particular, produce, meats and other fresh products are absurdly marked up in WF…

We call WF "whole paycheck", it's a store for rich people who have too much money. I save over half of my grocery bill shopping elsewhere.

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#65

Post by JoeAltmaier »

kombucha11 wrote: post #53
ARandomerDude wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're also handsome, charming, and incredibly humble.

Whether or not he meant to his comment illustrates the problem perfectly: those with the means to do so can eat healthy food and absorb the cost/time/distance inherent in that, those that cannot will suffer and chose whatever they can get. Good healthy food at a sustainable price is hard to come by in the US. There are food deserts everywhere . Good food is treated clearly as a lifestyle luxury. Let them eat cake ind…

My point exactly

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#66

Post by mac01021 »

radcon wrote: post #61

I've noticed a similar thing happening with prepared food. If there are Wawa stores in an area, there usually aren't as many sandwich or salad places nearby as you'd expect. Where I work, your options are basically Wawa or bottom-tier fast-food chains (McDonald's, Taco Bell, etc.). I really wish there were more health-oriented quick-service options (even a Chipotle would be nice), but I don't think they can compete a…

I live in New England and have never heard of Wawa or Sheetz.

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#67

Post by Symbiote »

Have the larger American grocery stores opened small convenience stores?

This has happened in several European countries. For example, in the UK Tesco has opened many "Tesco Express" shops in towns and cities. They are fairly small, but they can take advantage of Tesco's huge distribution system to stock a wide range of products, including fresh food. Prices are the same as the large shops, but the 20% of products they stock are the dearer ones.

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#68

Post by throwayEngineer »

dd36 wrote: post #32
AdmiralAsshat wrote: post #9

That's a pity, because doing grocery shopping at CVS is like doing grocery shopping at a gas station / convenience mart: there's a $1-3 markup on damn near everything. And I imagine the people that are forced to shop at a drugstore are probably poor to begin with, so, that hits them even worse.

There’s also no fresh food or produce. It’s all long shelf life processed food.

I study food and I find processed food is lower calorie per dollar, than their fresh alternatives.

It's contrary to advertisments who make you think you are saving money by buying "cheap processed foods".

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#69

Post by matt4077 »

ARandomerDude wrote: post #37
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdata: I have money and property and plentiful transportation (three vehicles for the two of us). Live miles from town. I drive to one or more grocery stores infrequently to get what I want. Buy quality food and freeze/store it in my large house. Garden provides some more. Waste is composted and feeds the gardens. Meals cost me a buck or two to prepare from my plentiful stock. All because I can afford to. Food is…

You're also handsome, charming, and incredibly humble.

I get where your comment is coming from, but I think they acknowledged that their situation is somewhat privileged. Quote: "All because I can afford to."

It's the old adage about it being expensive to be poor, only in reverse.

Re: Fears grow over 'food swamps' as drugstores outsell major grocers

#70

Post by throwayEngineer »

dev_dull wrote: post #50
mc32 wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Being poor doesn’t mean you can’t get a bus ticket. All it means is you are deliberate in your shopping and planning. You plan your trip to take advantage of transfer tickets and such. Sometimes you walk a mile or two or you bike or you bum a ride from someone. Being poor doesn’t mean you can’t plan and are helpless. Sure it’s not ideal and I prefer being able to shop ad hoc at my leisure, no doubt. But when I had to…

There’s a weird misconception about poor people here. I’m willing to bet the vast amount of people on SNAP have a car and a job. Being poor doesn’t require an abject state.

Plan for the worst of poverty. Not the best.
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