every day
The phenomenon of food spoilage... an intervention is required!
Sami Al Riyami
reyami@emaratalyoum.comsamialreyami
08 September 2021
The global economy is witnessing a wave of inflation that is expected to continue during the coming period, and this means that there are indications of significant price hikes and a decline in the purchasing power of money. However, there is a negative phenomenon that is clearly increasing in our sales outlets, especially those specialized in selling fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Meat, and other fresh foods whose shelf life does not exceed several days, before they spoil and go to the garbage.
To begin with, we must know that these products are sold in outlets in developed countries at different prices: today’s price, yesterday’s price, and the price of the day before yesterday, which are prices that decrease according to the passage of time and days. Today’s products are sold at one price, and yesterday’s products are sold at another cheaper price, as well as Yesterday's products are being sold at a cheaper and cheaper price!
This behavior, does not invite us to question the role of merchants and those in charge of major outlets, as well as groceries and others, why is this pricing policy not followed?
Why not set tiered prices for goods that expire within two or three days, so that the highest for today's date product, and the lowest for yesterday's date product, and the big offer for a product the day before yesterday, for example?!
If this happens, everyone will benefit, and no one will lose, and these food products will be available to all segments of society, in line with their budgets, in addition to the possibility of discharging large quantities of vegetables that accumulate on shelves or in refrigerators, for example, instead of It spoils completely, and goes to rubbish bins, at a time when we may find workers or families with limited income, who do not have the ability to buy fruits or vegetables, and they cannot benefit from these vegetables before they are damaged!
Isn’t it better to set graduated prices, and sell these products valid and fresh, or to wait for their near spoilage, and then put a weekly show on them, which is often not popular because of the unhealthy appearance of the commodity?!
I do not think that the officials of the Ministry of Economy are oblivious to this matter, as they make field tours in the wholesale markets to sell vegetables and fruits, and certainly they have seen the quantities of spoiled food thrown in the garbage, while the first was to sell it at an acceptable price, before its expiration date!
Isn’t it better for public health to focus the offers on daily basic commodities such as dairy products, vegetables and meat, instead of limiting them to “chips” and sweets, of which everyone knows the risks and damages to public health?!
The scene of large boxes of expired milk and yoghurt in the major outlets, which is being loaded into the cars of the producing company, is repeated on a daily basis. May we know where these quantities go, which are basically losses borne by the final shopper, when outlets insist on selling at the high price Throughout the validity period?!
One of the major traders of vegetables and fruits says: “The merchant usually gets his full profit, and covers his operating expenses, as a result of maintaining a high price, by offering a specific part, even if another part of the goods spoils.”
This is what is known in the economy as bad selling strategies, which are based on starving the market and controlling the supply, in order to maintain the price high, regardless of market conditions, and the repercussions and challenges it contains due to the Corona virus, or any other reason, is it reasonable for this to continue Messing around?!
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