Supermarket tax on stupidity

The dark side of shopping; and a “meet the gang” item

Today, boys and girls, we are going to talk about the nastiest and most notorious sector of the organized crime industry, a division of villains known as "supermarkets".

I was robbed by them myself last week. Last week, I picked up a pot of yoghurt in my local superstore, the Park N Rob, to find that it was marked "Sale". When I got home and checked the receipt, I noticed that it was 11.9 per cent higher than normal.

The word "sale" was clearly just there to deliberately mislead loyal customers (or "repeat suckers" to use the terminology from the Park N Rob staff manual).

I mentioned this to my mentor/ bartender that night and he gave me some shocking news. "Talking of immoral business practices, I hear that Crazy Eddie is back," he said.

I was astonished at this news. He told me that a group of business people have bought the rights to the name "Crazy Eddie" and have already started to launch stores, products and online shops. Crazy Eddie, a US businessman who claimed to be giving stuff away at insane prices, was caught and jailed in 1989.

Now I would have thought that a business named after a jailbird would be a Bad Thing. But modern business people seem to have no concept of right and wrong, and assume buyers won't either.

On the internet, I learned that the former chief financial officer of the original Crazy Eddie chain was tracked down by a US newspaper, the Asbury Park Press. The man, Sam Antar, was upfront about what he and Eddie had done: "We committed massive fraud that hurt thousands of investors and cost hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage." I mentioned this in the printed media earlier today, and a few minutes ago, I got a nice letter from Sam Antar himself, who said that he and Eddie were cousins. He also expressed surprise at the decision to revive the name, and suggested that in five years’ time business people would launch a firm called Bernie Madoff Securities.

Now before anyone gets upset, let me assure you that I'm NOT saying that ALL business people are crooks.

I'm sure honest ones do exist.

And I hope one day to actually meet one.

That night, I raised the issue of the general lack of morality in business people at the bar again. (I was still feeling hurt about the yoghurt.)

The bartender paused in his endless glass-polishing, and replied: "In Asia, lying to your customers is standard practice. Managers are sacked if they fail to comply."

"But how can business owners sleep at nights when their profits come from deceiving poor people struggling to make a living?"

"Actually, it's not as bad as it seems. Poor people in Asia know the value of things, and shop in street markets. Only decadent, lazy, good-for-nothing, pathetic yuppies like yourself, no offence intended, pick up things in the supermarket without checking prices."

The barman smiled and put away his glass. "So, personally, I see the massive surcharges charged by supermarket chains as a tax on stupidity."

The next day I started shopping at the street market.
*
MEET THE GANG: This is an occasional item in which we feature readers/ commentators/ contributors to this site. Say hello to Karen A, who sent me this photo with a question: "Take a wild guess which of the three is me?" Hmm. That's a tough one, Karen. My answer is: "The cute, cuddly one." (That covers all three of you.) 

Actually, this feature is starting to depress me. It seems that all the people who hang out at this community are younger and / or better-looking than the host!

Comments

[Karen A.]

Thank you Mr. Nury!

[Julie]

heheheh. Nuri you are very clever. I like the idea of supermakets collecting a stupid levy. I think they also collect a lazy one.
Could I be bothered driving to the market to get lots of nice fresh fruit and vegetables? Or will I make do with the limited selection of old ones available at the supermarket over the way? I hate to admit this, but sometimes I pay the lazy tax.
But maybe I'll go to the markets this afternoon - I just read another chapter first . . .

[sheilajade]

hahaha! i like the name Park N Rob better, though i have preferred to shop from its contender Wellcome this past 6 months as it is closer to home.

The use of "psychological pricing" or the price point perspective entice shopper to buy, perceiving goods as cheaper for example $39.9 or 29.9 etc.. but actually never giving the 1 cent change. After one business day, GOD knows how much these supermarkets accumulates. I just hope they use it to pay when the cashier's balance does not tally with the receipts.

[sheilajade]

BTW, i must say filipinas are beautiful, just look at Karen A. Ganda ng lola ko!!! ;-)

[Karen A.]

Hahaha! We are waiting for your picture Sheilajade...thanks by the way.

[Albert]

With due respect to The Standards Newspapers, I do hope this particular Article can reach a higher readership and getting a bigger exposure in one way or the other, so that the supermarkets pay "a tax for greediness".

[angela]

Aside from vast difference in pricing, do you notice another vast difference between wet market/street market and supermarket? Clue: initial AC. Yes, you are paying for the air conditioning, interior design, cleanliness, and the privilege to feel safe that your wallet will not be pick-pocketed as you elbow your way through thick crowds of shoppers. Do you think that when you go to supermarkets on hot days to enjoy the cool AC, that is free? there is no such thing as free AC or free anything. The cost is passed on to the shops who will pass it on to the consumers via premium price for a bundle of kangkong (asian spinach usually harvested from canals).

When I go to supermarket after work I know I am paying sucker price for the day old limp veggie because of the convenience, near my apartment plus the blast of cold air that will make polar bear ask for extra coat. that is to keep the fresh produce fresh longer as compared to wet market when you go in the afternoon and all you get is fresh NOTHING! yes, wet markets in my neighborhood usually close after lunch time when housewives are done shopping. So the convenience of supermarket comes at a premium price. And yes, I met lots of decadent, lazy, good-for-nothing, pathetic yuppies also doing the food shopping after work :)

[angela]

sheilajade's comment reminded me of this story. Singaporean housewife hired the service of a part time Filipina maid to clean her house in the afternoon. Beautiful young woman shows up in shorts and tank tops (her usual outfit for getting down on her knees to scrub bathroom tiles). Housewife raised an eyebrow at how 'sexy' the maid looks but let her into the house to start the 5 hours at $10/hr home cleaning service.

545PM
Housewife: "Ok, enough, you have to leave now, hurry..hurry.."
Maid: (confused) Ma'am there is still 15 mins left and I am not finished cleaning the toilets yet.
Housewife: No, no..just go, I will still pay you $50. My husband is on his way home now, I don't want him to see you.

*wanted to post this on "she's my domestic goddess" but I couldn't find it in the previous posts.

[Dave Rais]

This is interesting discussion. It looks on the surface as if it is the usual complaints about supermarket pricing but in fact it is the opposite.

What Nury and Julie and Angela are really saying is that supermarkets charge a yuppie tax for people who are too stupid or lazy to go down to the street market. The supermarkets are just being business people. The victims are not really victims since they are making a choice to pay the extra.

This argument is interesting but Im not sure it is really valid. for two reasons.

First, the gap between the street price and the supermarket price (in HK and in Singapore, which are the two places I have lived in Asia) is SO wide that it more than covers the cost of air condition etc. It is sheer profiteering of the worst sort.

Second, in both places, obvious collusion is deliverately preventing competition from taking place. This is in stark denial of the claims that are made in HK and Sing.

So ultimately i dismiss this argument. The original argument, that supermarkets are criminal enterprises, is more accurate in my humble opinion.

[stevie]

Filipinas are definitely gorgeous, both in looks and in personality. i know that's a generalization, but on average its true.

Considering angela's thing about the woman keeping the maid away fromthe husband, I think you guys will enjoy the irony of the situation.

In 99 per cent of jobs, if you are young and sexy, you have an advantage. In the domestic helper business alone, it is a disadvantage. It is the one profession where an average looking woman of mature age has an advantage over a sexy looking woman of young age. Can anyone think of any other?

[sheilajade]

To Ms. Angela, i am a bit puzzled about you saying i reminded you of that story ;-)
Just for the record, the story is a total opposite to me. I think the story that would fit me would go something like this......

I come in dressed in baggy pants (hip-hop)and collared polo shirt zip up to the base of my head.
The boss will say "Aren't you feeling a little too hot in your clothes?"
I will answer "can you just please turn on the AC madam?"
The boss will think for a while and then will turn on the AC.
The husband will arrive and will see me as though he had only saw nothing.
I get paid (a lot - probably because of my outfit) but the housewife will say, next time stay longer...

[Karen A.]

Supermarkets vs wet markets...convenience vs savings. We cannot blame people if they prefer to shop at supermarkets especially if:
1)they don't want to get their feet (if they are not wearing close-shoes) and hands dirty,
2)they don't want to get sweaty (if the wet markets are not air-conditioned)
3)if they want to buy nicely packed items (for sale items are not included), and
4)if they have the money to spend

About the story of Angela...that story happens everywhere, everytime...I mean, the jealous woman (and man). In general, it's normal to feel threatened especially if we think that there's a 'competition'...so we tend to secure our 'teritory'. It's a normal human reaction.

[Vince A]

As an employee of Whyycome, I have to politely disagree with Mr Vittachi.

We believe the premium services we provide as compared to small shops are well worth our higher prices.

Let me emphasise them:

You must have seen how dull and drearily clothed the small shop owners are. By contrast, our staff's uniforms are always bright and cheerful. The uniforms make it worthwhile to go around and around and around our shops looking for our staff.

We provide quality assurance. We make sure the fish you buy is real fish and not wet chicken. We ensure your veggies are individually wrapped in gladwrap, as nature intended but could not provide for.

You can shop in 13 degree airconditioned comfort, away from the blistering 20 degree outdoors. And we offer full service: we stock Panadol to help your migraines adjust as you step outside.

We listened to our shoppers and we herd (sic) them. You get to queue up in civil fashion behind 40 other customers. At small shops you must go through the awkwardness of figuring out if that one other shopper came to the counter ahead of you.

You receive our valuable foot-long receipts; indispensable when you come back the next day to explain how much you should have been charged in the first place.

Our in-shop entertainment department has a program to change the shelf location of your favourite purchases every 3 months, to make sure your shopping is never a bore.

Why go to small shops that stock only the brands you buy? We carry all the brands you don't buy, to give you a choice. We empower you.

Our profit-making department psychologists see to it that we frequently discontinue your favourite brands, so you can try the others -- we help you get out of your comfort zone and live life to the fullest.

Finally, at our shops you never feel uncertain. Our signage department always gives clear instructions to help you: "This counter closed", "Out of stock", "Wet floor", "Watch your head", and "Shoplifters will be prosecuted"

We look forward to seeing you and your cash at our shops. If you can't come, your cash is still welcome. Just shop with us online. Try doing that with small shops.

[Jules]

I usually choose to go to a supermarket rather than a 'street' market for two reasons:

1) I don't have a car and it's easier for me to carry heaps of groceries across the street, than lugging them across town via the local bus.
2) Most 'street' markets only take cash, and I pay for almost everything with my card(s).

[Mike Munson]

In the US, we have another widely known stupidity tax, it is called the lottery.

[fardel]

I remember my first "travel" ( i.e across an ocean, crossing a border or a small body of water is usually called a day trip, or wandering through the backyard ).
It was to Mexico.
We visited one of those wet markets with huge strawberries, guavas , chirimoyas ,papayas ,avocados the size of rugby balls and all kinds of flavory fruits, .
We ate our belly full of those fruits.
As a bonus for our voracity we were offered a free inner cleansing.
No supermarket can offer that service at such a low price

Karen
I know which one is you.
You must be the teenager in the middle, between uncle nury and uncle fardel.
Magandang!

Nury

Sorry if I have to correct you:
Based on the seriousness of your comments , I would dare say that I am at least ten lives older than you.

[Karen A.]

Whoa! You are flattering me Uncle Fardel, my age is way passed the calendar, hahaha!

[Santox]

Karen A, You remind me of the song, 'ANAK', composed and sung by a Philippino. So cute and adorable. Just like you, young and happy. Mabuhay!Best regards from Uncle Santox.
***
Nury, You are right. Many got fleeced by sale gimmicks. They also call it Stock Clearance; Spring Sale; Mid-Autumn Sale; Pre-Winter Sale; New Stocks Sale; Closing Sale (they deserve it), and what have you? Sometimes, the friendly store at the corner of the street has better valued items.

[Karen A.]

Thanks Uncle Santox! I believe I finally fond my two long lost uncles, hahaha! Uncle Fardel and you.

[angela]

In Singapore we call older people aunties and uncles as sign of reverence for their seniority (in age) so when Caucasian friends come for holiday and I tour them around they are always amazed at how many relatives I have in Singapore, from taxi driver uncles to the chicken rice uncles and the teh tarek auntie and the street market auntie. They think I come from a very big clan.

As a matter of policy I call every older man in singlets and flip flops uncle and every older woman in matching pants and shirt, sporting short permed hair and carrying loads of bags auntie. I think the aunties here go to the same fashion designer and hair stylist as my grandmother. When I see them come out of the neighborhood temple on weekends I noticed they all look so similar – same short perm and same matching top and pants.

Maybe I too will look like that in 30 year’s time ;)

[Karen A.]

In the Philippines too Ms. Angela we mostly call the older close friends or acquaintance tiya/tia (female) or tiyo/tio (male) as a sign of respect. We also use auntie and uncle just the same. But in the Philippines too we fondly call the older non-relative, not-so-close female 'ALE' or if you will include the name it will become ALING. For example ALING ANGELA or ALING KAREN. For male, we use MANG as in MANG NURY. Somehow, it's a kind of endearment.

[SJ]

I think most Asian countries practice that...including Malaysia! Auntie Karen, your hand gesture makes you look adorable just like the other two=p