4 ms·

It seems a tad elitist to 1) prevent dollar stores from opening, and 2) force existing ones to sell more expensive food. What if that dollar store food is a per

It seems a tad elitist to 1) prevent dollar stores from opening, and 2) force existing ones to sell more expensive food. What if that dollar store food is a person’s only financial option? Forcing them to buy something they cannot afford is unhelpful. This sounds like a supermarket lobby or politicians that think they know better than the people doing the shopping about their own situation. I live a comfortable life and would love to see people eat healthily, but this is just more “government knows best” attitude, when the reality is that oneself knows one’s own situation the best. Let people make their own decisions.

gonzo41 7y ago
-- I live a comfortable life and would love to see people eat healthily. Would you live a slightly less comfortable life to see other people eat healthy? Food is expensive, but I'm sure there's fat in your budget. I agree banning dollar food stores is elitist, but it's also incredibly myopic by those in power to not also address the root cause which is you have a segment of the population that can't afford good food and has to consume food that exposes them to a greater set of negative health consequences. Raising minimum wages, and progressive taxation would go along way to fix a lot of this. \_(:|)_/
- busymom0 7y ago
  Raising minimum wage does the exact opposite. There’s a reason why Amazon and Walmart wants higher minimum wage because they can afford it but the small businesses can’t. Also raising the minimum wage does nothing but make the person who was already making slightly above the minimum wage now get paid less because everybody isn’t going to get a wage raise (and if they did then we are back to square one). AOC’s previous employer The Coffee Shop which was a major diner in NYC had to shut down last year because they couldn’t afford a $2 raise in the minimum wage.
- barry-cotter 7y ago
  > the root cause which is you have a segment of the population that can't afford good food These people don’t exist. Nutritionally complete diets that are very cheap include parties and milk, beans and rice, peanut butter and bread. If you add vitamin supplements or practically any meat that isn’t totally lean or any fruits or vegetables you will be perfectly healthy. Food is cheap enough that in Mexico the problem is obesity, not malnutrition. The US is a lot richer than Mexico.
kick 7y ago
Adults that think they know best oft ruin the lives of children, and the poor have a disproportionate amount of children.
NeedMoreTea 7y ago
Is it elitist if there's a real problem in stores that appeal most to the poor and disadvantaged? I don't know how they operate in the US, or the range carried, and the article doesn't expand too far, but... If US dollar stores are anything like UK pound stores, they are vastly more expensive for food than the discount supermarkets -- Aldi, Lidl, Iceland and similar. They're OK to great value for many non-food things, like a cheap spare pair of reading glasses, notebook, pencils or USB cable etc. If there's a pound store it's fairly safe bet one of the above three supermarkets will have an outlet not too far away too. Nearly all the food they sell is a custom, pound store only size, and the price per gram or litre is pathetic for anyone lacking funds. They trade on appearing to offer price advantage, perhaps 10p or 20p in the pound cheaper than the supermarket, by cutting 25 or 35% of the product. If you aren't comparing price/unit you're basically getting scammed by poundstores on all food and drink. Of course they appeal most to the section of society most uncomfortable with maths by seeming cheap, even if the truth is on the small print of the shelf label. They positively drip with unhealthy only options. Miles of chocolate, cereal, milk shake, soft drinks, tinned beans. No veg, no rice, no pasta, pulses, low sugar soft drinks, milk itself.
- Danieru 7y ago
  Indeed! Not only are they more expensive per unit, but they go even further by only offering the higher margin food in the first place. Dollar Stores are often predatory for food. Regular grocery stores already operate on thin margins. Dollar stores are preying on those trying to save money by being closer and easier to get to. All while deceiving poor people on the true cost of their food. All things equal Dollar Stores would be fine, but they pull the oxygen out of the market for proper low margin grocery stores.
- JamesBarney 7y ago
  I really think banning poor individuals from choosing to shop at a dollar store because you assume you know better is elitism.
  - vinay427 7y ago
    I might agree with this perspective if third-parties weren't involved, but unfortunately when dependents, often children, are added into the mix I think there is some justification for regulating away options that (at least objectively) can be harmful.

gonzo41 7y ago

-- I live a comfortable life and would love to see people eat healthily. Would you live a slightly less comfortable life to see other people eat healthy? Food is expensive, but I'm sure there's fat in your budget. I agree banning dollar food stores is elitist, but it's also incredibly myopic by those in power to not also address the root cause which is you have a segment of the population that can't afford good food and has to consume food that exposes them to a greater set of negative health consequences. Raising minimum wages, and progressive taxation would go along way to fix a lot of this. \_(:|)_/

busymom0 7y ago
Raising minimum wage does the exact opposite. There’s a reason why Amazon and Walmart wants higher minimum wage because they can afford it but the small businesses can’t. Also raising the minimum wage does nothing but make the person who was already making slightly above the minimum wage now get paid less because everybody isn’t going to get a wage raise (and if they did then we are back to square one). AOC’s previous employer The Coffee Shop which was a major diner in NYC had to shut down last year because they couldn’t afford a $2 raise in the minimum wage.
barry-cotter 7y ago
> the root cause which is you have a segment of the population that can't afford good food These people don’t exist. Nutritionally complete diets that are very cheap include parties and milk, beans and rice, peanut butter and bread. If you add vitamin supplements or practically any meat that isn’t totally lean or any fruits or vegetables you will be perfectly healthy. Food is cheap enough that in Mexico the problem is obesity, not malnutrition. The US is a lot richer than Mexico.

kick 7y ago

Adults that think they know best oft ruin the lives of children, and the poor have a disproportionate amount of children.

NeedMoreTea 7y ago

Is it elitist if there's a real problem in stores that appeal most to the poor and disadvantaged? I don't know how they operate in the US, or the range carried, and the article doesn't expand too far, but... If US dollar stores are anything like UK pound stores, they are vastly more expensive for food than the discount supermarkets -- Aldi, Lidl, Iceland and similar. They're OK to great value for many non-food things, like a cheap spare pair of reading glasses, notebook, pencils or USB cable etc. If there's a pound store it's fairly safe bet one of the above three supermarkets will have an outlet not too far away too. Nearly all the food they sell is a custom, pound store only size, and the price per gram or litre is pathetic for anyone lacking funds. They trade on appearing to offer price advantage, perhaps 10p or 20p in the pound cheaper than the supermarket, by cutting 25 or 35% of the product. If you aren't comparing price/unit you're basically getting scammed by poundstores on all food and drink. Of course they appeal most to the section of society most uncomfortable with maths by seeming cheap, even if the truth is on the small print of the shelf label. They positively drip with unhealthy only options. Miles of chocolate, cereal, milk shake, soft drinks, tinned beans. No veg, no rice, no pasta, pulses, low sugar soft drinks, milk itself.

Danieru 7y ago
Indeed! Not only are they more expensive per unit, but they go even further by only offering the higher margin food in the first place. Dollar Stores are often predatory for food. Regular grocery stores already operate on thin margins. Dollar stores are preying on those trying to save money by being closer and easier to get to. All while deceiving poor people on the true cost of their food. All things equal Dollar Stores would be fine, but they pull the oxygen out of the market for proper low margin grocery stores.
JamesBarney 7y ago
I really think banning poor individuals from choosing to shop at a dollar store because you assume you know better is elitism.
- vinay427 7y ago
  I might agree with this perspective if third-parties weren't involved, but unfortunately when dependents, often children, are added into the mix I think there is some justification for regulating away options that (at least objectively) can be harmful.