3 ms·

So where is the money coming from? Can they sustain the program? Who decides the cutoff? Do they get tax exemptions to write off the losses?

kvdveer 4y ago
> So where is the money coming from? Municipal subsidies, private and corporate donations. I assume a municipal social worker decides who gets in and who does not. This is a really common approach in the Netherlands, which has been going on for decades for other projects. I can't remember any news articles mentioning significant problems with this approach. This looks to me like an extended "voedselbank" which involves social work. I don't see anything truly novel or problematic with this approach.
luckylion 4y ago
> So where is the money coming from? Donations, apparently, likely both monetary and products. > Who decides the cutoff? They mentioned in the article that they're not a food bank, and they don't need proof of poverty. Since they connect the "shopping" to working with one of their life coaches (I don't know how often or how long you need to talk to them), I guess that's a deterrent against random rich people getting their diapers there. Or maybe they do, because they also want to talk to someone about their life, in which case I suppose they're also the target audience. I have no clue about the sustainability or tax exemptions. It sounds like the supermarket is a way to get more people in the community in contact with their social workers. Outreach programs aren't that rare, the combination with a supermarket is, but it doesn't strike me as that odd.
vostok 4y ago
Companies don't need special tax exemptions to write off losses. Typically, expenses directly reduce income without any need for a special exemption.
- logifail 4y ago
  > Companies don't need special tax exemptions to write off losses There are places where selling certain product types below cost isn't OK, Wal-Mart got into trouble for this in Germany: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-09-fi-18061-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-09-fi-18061...
  - vostok 4y ago
    That's so interesting. Thanks for sharing.
    - tpxl 4y ago
      This is called price dumping. First time I've heard of any action being taken to prevent it though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy)
  - Semaphor 4y ago
    Interesting, I hadn’t heard of that one. Relevant: > Wal-Mart’s prices were matched and even undercut by the Aldi and Lidl food chains, which also were ordered to cease selling below cost or face fines of about $445,000 for each product sold in violation of the order. They probably still would have lost, our supermarket system is very cut-throat ;)

kvdveer 4y ago

> So where is the money coming from? Municipal subsidies, private and corporate donations. I assume a municipal social worker decides who gets in and who does not. This is a really common approach in the Netherlands, which has been going on for decades for other projects. I can't remember any news articles mentioning significant problems with this approach. This looks to me like an extended "voedselbank" which involves social work. I don't see anything truly novel or problematic with this approach.

luckylion 4y ago

> So where is the money coming from? Donations, apparently, likely both monetary and products. > Who decides the cutoff? They mentioned in the article that they're not a food bank, and they don't need proof of poverty. Since they connect the "shopping" to working with one of their life coaches (I don't know how often or how long you need to talk to them), I guess that's a deterrent against random rich people getting their diapers there. Or maybe they do, because they also want to talk to someone about their life, in which case I suppose they're also the target audience. I have no clue about the sustainability or tax exemptions. It sounds like the supermarket is a way to get more people in the community in contact with their social workers. Outreach programs aren't that rare, the combination with a supermarket is, but it doesn't strike me as that odd.

vostok 4y ago

Companies don't need special tax exemptions to write off losses. Typically, expenses directly reduce income without any need for a special exemption.

logifail 4y ago
> Companies don't need special tax exemptions to write off losses There are places where selling certain product types below cost isn't OK, Wal-Mart got into trouble for this in Germany: https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-09-fi-18061-story.html https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-09-fi-18061...
- vostok 4y ago
  That's so interesting. Thanks for sharing.
  - tpxl 4y ago
    This is called price dumping. First time I've heard of any action being taken to prevent it though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy)
- Semaphor 4y ago
  Interesting, I hadn’t heard of that one. Relevant: > Wal-Mart’s prices were matched and even undercut by the Aldi and Lidl food chains, which also were ordered to cease selling below cost or face fines of about $445,000 for each product sold in violation of the order. They probably still would have lost, our supermarket system is very cut-throat ;)