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The moment one walks into a so-called Natural and Organic Grocery store, it is more than simply obvious that this store offers a distinct environment, or rather, an overall experience. The health and environmental conscious customers fill their carts with organic and fresh items, items that claim to be beneficial for the growers/producers, consumer, and Mother Nature herself. Fresh, cold, crisp air dances on ones skin, and the scent of organic foods enters into ones nostrils, inviting them to pick up an apple, as if they were picking them straight off of the tree in grandmas backyard. What these consumers do not notice is that they are merely sheep thrown at the bottom of the hierarchy this Organic Health Food fad, controlled by corporate society. Little do the consumers at such natural food stores such as Whole Foods notice, or are aware that their experiences are that of highly fetishized ones. To attain a heightened feeling, one remains blind to, or does not do the research that proves that same items being sold at Whole Foods could be bought at other stores, at the fraction of price. In this economic state, it is unavoidable that companies raise the prices of merchandise. However, with a little research, one can find stores that literally sell the exact same items for much cheaper, or even in some cases, for free, as Matias Viegner, David Burns and Austin Young of Fallen Fruit proved in the project of mapping food resources in Los Angeles. In a Marxist society, the cost of production should be the same cost as distribution; yet this is not so in the corporate/capitalist society. Culture is fueled by economic power, the existence of Organic Health Food stores being an excellent example of this reality. In such cases, there not only is harm to the consumers, but there is also an attack against local farmers; although Whole Foods claims that they support local farmers, the existence and pricing of their original brand clearly proves that this is not true. While items from the Whole Foods brands are lowered, the prices of items produced by local farmers are risen. Naturally, in times like these, the consumer decides to purchase the more accessible/cheaper items, which creates a lesser need for produce/items made by local businesses. A clear system of hierarchy fueled by economic power exists here, one similar to that which Marx explored in his economic material dialectic; the owning class (Whole Foods) sits at top, the local businesses serve the owning class, the consumers lie at the bottom, serving the owning class by mindlessly consuming their products. The bottom two classes continue acting to their disadvantage, and continue to pursue such exploitive relationship. The intention of THE PURCHASE AESTHETIC is to allow the audience, who are also the consumers, to be educated of such reality. Organic foods that are being sold at Natural and Organic Grocery stores can be purchased else where, for the fraction of the price. Should one shop at Natural and Organic grocery stores and pay for the experience, or should they became a smart consumer and find their grocery else where? It is up to the consumers themselves to be aware of the reality, take action, and save themselves. The QR codes (which can be found throughout the book) are intended to initiate the audience to do research for themselves; each code leads the audience to a new link where they may find new information, and be more aware of the reality of shopping at Natural and Organic stores.
Market Locations
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Color Key
Research Whole Foods 99 Cents Only
Type & QR
Vons
Featured Content
Section One / Food For Thought 6
The Meaning of Marxism 89 Marxism A Graphic Guide 1011 A Mapping of Food Resources in Los Angeles 1213 Ideology and ideological State Apparatuses 1415 Shut Up and Shop! Thinking Politically about Consumption 1617 Politicizing The Aesthetic 1819 Crisis and Hope / The Society of the Spectacle / Worker Occupations and the Future of Radical Labor 2021 What Is After Whole Foods / Food & Drink / Supermarkets, Neo-Liberalism and the Recession / 10 Reasons Whole Foods Is Annoying 2223
Section One
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As Marx jokingly related, the marketplace where good are exchanged is seen as a very Eden of the innate rights of man where alone rule freedom, Equality, [and] Property, because each exchange equivalent for equivalent.
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A falling rate of profit will force a concentration of capitalist enterprises prove more successful then others.
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Public fruit is more efficient to grow than farmed fruit because it eliminates the cost of transport. Since it is not a mono-crop, as in an orchard of a single variety of apple, there are far less pests and less chemicals required. A further irony is that most of the public fruit in Los Angles is organic, blessed by neglect. Is it safe to eat? Absolutely. Should you worry about car exhaust and fumes?
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I have suggested that the ideologies were realized in institutions, in their rituals and their practices, in the ISAs. We have seen that on this basis they contribute to that form of class struggle, vital for the ruling class, the reproduction of the relations of production. But the point of view itself however real, is still an abstract one.
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We market consumption practices this becomes naturalized accounts of human desire.
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A s Clement Greenberg might have said, if presented with the above comments: it is a matter of taste. Greenberg may have been satisfied with that rather flippant response, perhaps, because his audience at the time may have provided evidence they were not prepared for a discussion.
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One illustration is the array of perverse crazy incentives devised for corporate managers to enrich themselves, however grievous the impact on othersfor example, the too big to fail insurance policies provided by the unwitting growing public.
When I go home tonight Ill have 15 letters today from mostly young kids who dont like whats going on and want to do something about it, and [they ask me] if I can give them some advice as to what they should do, or can I tell them what to read or something. It doesnt work like that. I mean, everything depends very much on who you are, what your values are , what your commitments are, what circumstances you live in and what options youre willing to undertake, and that determines what you ought to be doing.
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The fetishism of the commodity the domination of society by intangible as well as tangible things attains its ultimate goal of fulfillment in the spectacle, where the real world is replaced by a selection of images which are projected above it, yet which at the same time succeed in making themselves regarded as the epitome of reality.
Crisis and Hope / The Society of the Spectacle / Worker Occupations and the Future of Radical Labor
Old Bean. What was a package of tofu with a three-month-past expiration date doing on the shelf? With a little internet down time you can find that this goes on a lot in the Whole Foods chain. The root of the failure of these ideas of course is their class perspective and their inability to understand the contradictory nature of the advances made by modern capitalism.
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Data analysts Experience contend that the old class system isnt flexible enough to be of use to all in area supermarkets when deciding such matters as where to put their stores, what kind of music to have on the PA, or whether to move the beer next to the nappies after 6pm at night.
People call it Whole Paycheck, make fun of the SUV-drivin richies who shop there, fault it for not being all organic, or not being local enough. But not all the criticism against Whole Foods is well deserved.
What IS After Whole Foods / Food & Drink / Supermarkets, Neo-Liberalism and the Recession / 10 Reasons Whole Foods Is Annoying
Mission Statement
The Purchased Aesthetic
Section Two
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Vons
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
We are, and always have been, committed to supporting the communities we serve. Our fund raising efforts focus on hunger relief, education, health and human services and people with disabilities. We encourage customers in our stores to help us direct funds to local schools and youth organizations as well as health and human services. We contribute on a national level, too. For decades we have sponsored fund raising programs that support the Muscular Dystrophy Association, Easter Seals and research in breast and prostate cancer. Contributions have surpassed $14 million, annually. Our passion and concern for youth education has paid off as well. We are proud that over $22 million was donated for youth education in 2007 through our eScrip program. Our commitment to hunger relief runs very deep. Last year alone, we gave more than $110 million in food to local organizations across the country. We give as a company, through the generous contributions of our customers and our employees. At Safeway youll find many of the people who work here are personally and actively reaching out to help worthy programs in their communities.
We appreciate and celebrate that great food and cooking improves the lives of all of our stakeholders. Breaking bread with others, eating healthfully and eating well these are some of the great joys of our lives. Our goal is to sell the highest quality products that also offer high value for our customers. High value is a product of high quality at a competitive price. Our product quality standards focus on ingredients, freshness, taste, nutritive value, safety and/or appearance. While we have very high standards for product quality, we believe that it is important to be inclusive and open minded, and not overly restrictive or dogmatic.
We earn profits every day through voluntary exchange with our customers. We know that profits are essential to create capital for growth, job security and overall financial success. Profits are the savings every business needs in order to change and evolve to meet the future. They are the seed corn for next years crop. We are the stewards of our shareholders investments and we are committed to increasing long term shareholder oveall value. As a publicly traded company, Whole Foods Market intends to grow. We will grow at such a pace that our quality of work environment, Team Member productivity and excellence, customer satisfaction, and financial health continue to prosper. There is a community of self interest among all of our stakeholders. We share together in our collective vision for the company. To that end we have a salary cap that limits the maximum cash compensation (wages plus profit incentive bonuses) paid to any Team Member in the calendar year to 19 times the company-wide annual average salary of all full-time Team Crew Members.
Safeways commitment to diversity and inclusion and thoughtful people practices is a core element of the companys philosophy, ensuring our employees reflect the diverse communities we serve. We recognize and appreciate the variety of backgrounds and characteristics that make individuals unique, while providing a work environment that promotes and celebrates individual and collective achievement. We have been honored with numerous local, state and national awards for our hiring of persons with disabilities in the U.S. and Canada, and were honored with the Champion of Diversity Award for the second consecutive year from Supermarket News, a leading grocery trade publication. Diversity and inclusion is a component of our programs for recruitment, development and training of employees and leaders. We also provide opportunities for employees to contribute their ideas, talents and enthusiasm to the companys success by engaging with other employees through participation in various employee resource and network groups, such as Womens Network Group, Hispanic Leadership Network Group, Asian Network Group, Safeway African American Leadership Network Group, GALA (Gay and Lesbian Alliance), just to name a few.
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Our customers are the most important stakeholder in our business. Therefore, we go to extraordinary lengths to satisfy and delight our customers. We want to meet or exceed their expectations on every shopping trip. We know that by doing so we turn customers into advocates for whole foods. We guarantee our customers 100% product satisfaction or their money will be refunded. Outstanding customer service is a result of both our Team Members skill and enthusiasm in serving our customers and their in-depth knowledge and excitement about the products we sell. We nurture a quality business relationship with our customers by daily demonstrating our customer service beliefs: Customers are the lifeblood of our business and we are interdependent on each other. Customers are the primary motivation for our work they are not an interruption of our work. Customers are people who bring us their wants and desires and our primary objective is to satisfy them as best we can they are not people to argue or match wits with. Customers are fellow human beings with feelings and emotions like our own; they are equals to be treated with courtesy and respect at all times. We continually experiment and innovate in order to raise our retail standards. We create store environments that are inviting, fun, unique, informal, comfortable, attractive, nurturing and educational. We want our stores to become community meeting places where our customers come to join their friends and to make new ones. Our stores are inclusive. Everyone is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, beliefs, or personal appearance. We value diversity whole foods are for everyone.
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Our business is intimately tied to the neighborhood and larger community that we serve and in which we live. The unique character of our stores is a direct reflection of the customers who shop with us. Without their support, both financial and philosophical, Whole Foods Market would not be in business. Our interdependence at times goes beyond our mutual interest in quality food and, where appropriate, we will respond. We donate 5% of our after-tax profits to not-for-profit NPO organizations.
BUILDING A CAREER
To support your professional growth we provide development opportunities at all levels, from entry-level training to store management to professional development programs for corporate leadership. We encourage you to further your education by participating in Professional and Career Education Program (PACE), which combines classroom education with work experiences and reimburses a portion of your educational expenses.
We see the necessity of active environmental stewardship so that the earth continues to flourish for generations to come. We seek to balance our needs with the needs of the rest of the planet through the following work actions: Supporting sustainable agriculture. We are committed to greater production of organically and biodynamically grown foods in order to reduce pesticide use and promote soil conservation. Reducing waste and consumption of non-renewable resources. We promote and participate in recycling programs in our communities. We are committed to re-usable packaging, reduced packaging, and water and energy conservation. Encouraging environmentally sound cleaning and store maintenance tech programs.
Our success is also dependent upon the collective energy and intelligence of all our Team Members. In addition to receiving fair wages and benefits, belief in the value of our work and finding fulfillment from our jobs is a key reason we are part of Whole Foods Market. Therefore, we design and promote safe work environments where motivated Team Members can flourish and reach their highest potential. And no matter how long a person has worked or plans to work with us, each and every Team Member is a valued contributor. There are many Team Members in our company who work behind the scenes to produce product, distribute product and generally support our retail Team Members and customers. Although they are not as visible as our retail Team Members, they are integral to the success of our business. Achieving unity of vision about the future of our company, and building trust between Team Members is a goal of Whole Foods Market. At the same time diversity and individual differences are recognized and honored. We aim to cultivate a strong sense of community and dedication to the company. We also realize how important leisure
We are not a fully self-sustaining ecosystem. There are hundreds of other businesses that we depend on to assist us in creating an outstanding retail shopping experience for our customers. We view our trade partners as allies in serving our stakeholders. We treat them with respect, fairness and integrity, and expect the same in return.
Satisfying all of our stakeholders and achieving our standards is our goal. One of the most important responsibilities of Whole Foods Markets leadership is to make sure the interests, desires and needs of our various stakeholders are kept in balance.
99 GREEN
At the 99 Only Stores, we are committed to being The Right Store Now More Than Ever! We are also committed to recycling and reusing materials to promote better environmental stewardship. As part of our Reverse Logistics program, our goal is to recycle and reuse what we can. Recycle what we can. Cardboard, plastic shrink wrap, plastic bags and metal fixtures are recycled and used to make new products. The 99 Only Stores chain is considered a major cardboard recycler in the United States. Reuse what we can. Wooden pallets, plastic produce crates and bread trays are returned by the stores using our Reverse Logistics program. Our distribution center and vendors are then able to reuse for future store deliveries.
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Integrity, flexibility, dependability and prompt payment are key to 99 Only Stores successful vendor relationships. Many of the Companys strong supplier relationships go back over 25 years. 99 Only Stores has developed an excellent reputation among the leading consumer goods manufacturers as a leading purchaser of name-brand, re-orderable, and closeout merchandise at discounted prices. Its willingness and consistent practice over many years to make very large volume purchases and take possession of merchandise immediately, its ability to pay cash or accept abbreviated credit terms, its willingness to purchase goods close to a target season or out of season and its commitment to honor all issued purchase orders have all contributed to building this reputation. In fact, 99 Only Stores has never cancelled a purchase order! The Companys experienced buying staff, with the ability to make immediate buying decisions, also enhances its strong supplier relationships. 99 Only Stores relationships with its suppliers is further enhanced by its ability to minimize channel conflict for the manufacturer by quickly and discreetly selling name-brand merchandise directly through its stores. Additionally, the Company believes its well-maintained and attractively merchandised stores have contributed to its reputation among suppliers for protecting their brand image. 99 Only Stores buys directly from almost every major name brand consumer goods manufacturer in the nation including 3M, Cadbury Adams, Church & Dwight, Coca-Cola, Colgate-Palmolive, Con Agra, Del Monte, Dial, Dole, Energizer, Frito Lay, General Mills, Hasbro, Heinz, Hershey Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Kelloggs, Kraft, Masterfoods, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Quaker, Revlon, Unilever, and Wrigley. 99 Only Stores has never cancelled a purchase order in the Companys great history! 99 Only Stores is a proud sponsor of Heal the Bays Nothin But Sand beach cleanup program and a multi-year partner of its annual, A Day Without a Bag event. As a successful, Southern California-based retail chain, 99 Only Stores support has been key in promoting greater awareness, broadening Heal the Bays base of members, and generating donations to support their science, education, community action and advocacy efforts. 99 Only Stores support, and the support of other community members and local businesses, is extremely important in raising awareness and funds to aid in Heal the Bays mission to make southern California coastal waters and watersheds, including Santa Monica Bay, safe, healthy and clean. Through the collaboration of 99 Only Stores and Heal the Bays Nothin But Sand program, Heal the Bay is able to provide education about ocean pollution, safety instructions and cleanup supplies including bags, gloves, pencils and data cards, for individuals, families, schools and business groups to remove trash from local beaches. As part of the sponsorship, 99 Only Stores donates gift certificates, reusable bags and other fun drawing prizes as appreciation awards for volunteers at each Nothin But Sand cleanup. As a longtime, major retail sponsor of Heal the Bays A Day Without a Bag event, 99 Only Stores has donated over 49,999 reusable bags to consumers over the past two years. In addition, as part of 99 Only Stores commitment to educate consumers on environmentallyfriendly alternatives to single-use plastic bags, the company has been promoting the adoption of reusable bags for many years. 99 Only Stores reusable bags are available for 99.99 in all of its 276 stores. The company is also implementing a new plastic bag reduction policy throughout the entire chain. Cashiers will only double bag upon request and encourage customers to forgo a single-use plastic bag on purchases of three items or less. Heal the Bay commends these efforts to reduce single-use plastic bag pollution and is grateful for 99 Only
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99 Cent Stores
Section Three
$2.49
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$0.79
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$0.39
Dairy Selection
$4.99
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$1.97
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$0.99
Grain Group
MYTH
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95% of all major markets carry organic products Including the 99 Cent Stores.
FACT
Myth / Fact
$5.69
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$3.00
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$0.99
Protein Group
$1.99
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$2.49
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$0.99
Vegetable Group
Whole Foods promotes the sale of local products and small farms.
MYTH
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They get the local products but have no motivation to try to sell them. Priced at almost 50% higher than other area retailers do.
FACT
Myth / Fact
$2.49
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$1.75
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$0.99
Fruit Group
Food ID
The Purchased Aesthetic
Section Four
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Food Facts
The Purchased Aesthetic
Section Five
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The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law by President Obama on January 4th, 2011. It aims to ensure the U.S. food supply is safe by shifting the focus of federal regulators from responding to food contamination to preventing it in the future.
As the popularity of green product claims continues to grow, its important to know which claims you can trust and which ones you cant. Search and evaluate of labels on food, wood, personal care products and household cleaners.
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As the popularity of green product claims continues to grow, its important to know which claims you can trust and which ones you cant. Search and evaluate of labels on food, wood, personal care products and household cleaners.
Made With Organic IngredientsFood packaging that reads Made With Organic Ingredients must contain 7094% organic ingredients. These products will not bear the USDA Organic seal; instead, they may list up to three ingredients on the front of the packaging.
A product that, through either words or images, gives the impression of third-party endorsement where no such endorsement exists; fake labels, in other words.
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A two-year study led by John Reganold of Washington State University that provided side-by-side comparisons of organic and conventional strawberry farms has shown organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while promoting healthier and more genetically diverse earth soils.
Certified Organic Label Guide / Get Smart About Organic Labels / The Seven Sins
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Organic production is a system that is managed in accordance with the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) of 1990 (PDF) and regulations in Title 7, Part 205 of the Code of Federal Regulations to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.
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The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, an organization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was established in 1994 to improve the nutrition and well-being of Americans. Toward this goal, the Center focuses its efforts on two primary objectives: Advance and promote dietary guidance for all Americans. Conduct applied research and analyses in nutrition and consumer economics.
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In an effort to ensure the safe use of these substances, FDA has established a Food Contact Notification Program within the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutritions (CFSAN) Office of Food Additive Safety.
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The grants, administered by the FMPP, are targeted to help improve and expand domestic farmers markets, roadside stands, community-supported agriculture programs, agri-tourism activities, and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.
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Is organic worth the extra money? Research has yet to prove an adverse health effect from consuming the low levels of pesticides commonly found in U.S. food. But for the most vulnerable groups children and pregnant women going organic whenever possible for fruits and vegetables that carry the heaviest pesticide load makes sense.
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Organic food production and sales have grown quickly during the past 10 years. In challenging conventional agriculture, this growth has been accompanied by controversy. Controversy leads to questions, and, as a result, consumers, as well as scientists, policy makers and the food industry are exploring important issues related to where our food comes from and what constitutes a sustainable food system.
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The evidence is unclear. Some studies suggest that, on average, organically grown fruits and vegetables may contain slightly higher levels of vitamin C, trace minerals, and antioxidant phytonutrients than conventionally grown produce. However, other studies have found no nutritional differences between organic and non-organic foods.
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Section Six
We can charge more just by including a new word on the label! Package design: Organic foods tended to look more plain brown wrapper than their nonorganic counterpartsbrowns and subdued yellows were popular, as were logos that looked handwritten.
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WHAT IS THE CARBON FOOTPRINT FOR MANUFACTURING 12 DIFFERENT TYPES OF BAGS? IT IS 11 TIMES MORE THEN MANUFACTURING 1 TYPE OF BAG
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12 Bags
WHOLE FOODS 360 BRAND SAME INGREDIENTS DIFFERENT PRICE. 20 CENTS PRICE DIFFERENCE FOR THE WORD ORGANIC!
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It Is Just A Word
WHOLE FOODS SELLS EARTHBOUND FARMS HALF & HALF 5OZ MIX FOR $3.65
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99 CENT STORE SELLS EARTHBOUND FARMS HALF & HALF 1 LB. MIX FOR $0.99
Salad Bar
WHOLE FOODS SELLS KASHI FOR A HIGHER PRICE THE VONS WHY IS THAT?
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AT VONS EVEN WITHOUT THE CLUB DISCOUNT THE PRICE IS STILL 50 CENTS LESS THEN WHOLE FOODS.
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Morning Wake Up
Package Breakdown
The Purchased Aesthetic
Section Seven
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2010
2002
1997
Carrot Packaging
Spending Graph
The Purchased Aesthetic
Section Eight
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Supermarket Fetishism
The Purchased Aesthetic
$16.00 $15.00 $14.00 $13.00 $12.00 $11.00 88 $10.00 $9.00 $8.00 The Purchased Aesthetic $7.00 $6.00 $5.00 $4.00 $3.00 $2.00 $1.00 $00.00
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Supermarket Fetishism
Special Thanks
Special thanks to all the workers of whole foods who questioned every movie I made in the store and for constantly keeping me aware that I was in Whole Foods. To all the great workers of Vons and the 99 Cent Stores thank you for just letting me do my research and get in and get out in the check out line.
Closing Statement
Hopefully every link will help educate and inform and whatever choice you make it is through further research and real knowledge.
The Purchased Aesthetic
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