Sunday, January 31, 2010

בס''ד

My Pet Peeve Blog..In other words sounding off........

As I have written in the past, last May I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. B”H, today my diabetes is in control and I am free of any symptoms. But, and this is a big but....as long as I look after myself, exercise, watch my weight and how much sugar products I consume daily, my diabetes will be in check. If I cheat and I know I am only cheating myself, the diabetes will be back.

I like to use some diabetes products that have the little red symbol from the Israel Diabetic Association.

I have a pet peeve and maybe if some of my readers who are also fellow diabetics have the same pet peeve. Why are products that are either sugar free or contain a sugar alternate more expensive than the same product that contains sugar? Do manufacturers think that they have a right to charge more because they are catering to a specific population?

I will give you an example. I picked up some regular strawberry jam for my husband. The same company makes a sugar free strawberry jam in the same size bottle. My jam was 1 shekel more. Do I have to pay a penalty just because I am a diabetic? If this was just one product I wouldn’t be so upset but there are dozens of products on the shelf where the regular product is one price and the diabetic product costs more. This is just not fair!

The next question is it the manufacturer or the grocery store that jacks up the price? I have checked in several stores and it seems to me that they all play the same game. What is the shopping like in your local stores?

When I mentioned my pet peeve recently, the person I was speaking to said that he believed that because the cost of artificial sweeteners costs more than sugar, production is less, making the product not profitable.

While this statement alone could be true, I believe that when you have a good margin [in other words profits] on your main products, the fact that you take advantage and up the price of a specialty product is not being a good corporate citizen. Now I am not talking about luxury products, but about everyday foods.

Where I shop, some products that are imported from the UK or Italy are cheaper than products that produced locally. I have one question. Why?

Now don’t get me wrong, I believe that every company has the right to make a profit on their products, but not on the backs of people who buy diabetic or other specialty health products.

If I were not a diabetic, I would not buy diabetic products. I would buy the regular product. I buy diabetic products because these are products that will help keep me healthy. Why am I being penalized and have to pay more? True, the difference in cost per product is small, but when you shop for several products, added up together, the difference is significant.

To be fair, the main grocery store where I shop recently had a 2 for 1 sale on diabetic foods. This was just before the store inventory. Guess they didn’t want to have to count all their products. In a couple of days, the shelves were bare, and the products were only replaced a week later at the regular high price....after inventory.

Now that I have said my two cents, the question is who do we complain to: the store, the manufacture or consumer groups.

I am going to pose my question to the Israeli Diabetic Association. If I get an answer, I will write about it.

Until next time........
Feel free to comment and pass my blog around.
Miriam

9 comments:

  1. From Meyer,
    Re: Do manufacturers think that they have a right to charge more because they are catering to a specific population?
    Meyer: They do, remember they are in it for the profit, only. If they have to produce something special or change their manufacturing techniques to cater to “others” it costs them more. Are they justified in the price they charge is a different question. It may not be fair but they are in business.
    RE: is it the manufacturer or the grocery store that jacks up the price?
    Meyer: It is most probably the manufacture for the reasons given above. If you suspect it is the store who is raising prices beyond what is permitted (yes there are laws here also) there are government & civil authorities that deal with these infringements.
    Re: Where I shop, some products that are imported from the UK or Italy are cheaper than products that produced locally. I have one question. Why?
    Meyer: If the product(s) cost less to produce or as is the case many times, the product is subsidized by the country than other, similar products then of course it cost less for the consumer.
    Where to complain:
    • Israel Consumers Association
    35 King George Street, Tel Aviv, 63295.
    Tel: 03-5285228
    Fax: 03-5285229
    • Israel Government portal – http://www.gov.il/firstgov/english
    • The State Comptroller and Ombudsman - http://www.gov.il/FirstGov/TopNavEng/Engoffices/EngAuthorities/Engmevaker/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Miriam
    Shavua Tov
    Always a pleasure to read your blog
    I must admit it is the only one I read regularly
    You generally have interesting personal comments
    that allow us to keep up with some of your family events
    Thanks for your continuing efforts
    We are really happy the the diabetes is under control
    You are a women with purpose at many levels
    NOW to the price of Jam
    My perspective on your comments, being an accountant,
    is that the price of sugar or a substitute is irrelevant
    The answer lies in the production line and the fact that sugar based product
    is produced in significantly greater quantities, resulting in lower production costs.
    The set up time, labeling, testing etc is the same and spreading it over smaller quantities
    results in higher costs. You get to enjoy a specialty product...
    have a Great Day...Everyday
    Stan

    ReplyDelete
  3. First I congratulate you! You are diabetes symptom free!

    Yes, the chemical is more expensive than sugar. In addition, less items are made with the artificial sweetener than with sugar and so the cost is increased. Give your family extra hugs, keep your stress down, and think about Purim costumes, etc. Some battles are winnable, some are not.

    Miriam, may I urge you to either eat your toast with sliced or smashed fresh strawberries, bananas, fruits of the season -- avoiding all processed chemicals or sweeteners. Taste, savor, you will soon enjoy and not miss the sugar or chemical at all.

    Are you a member of the below?
    Israel_Wholistic_Forum@yahoogroups.com

    We have stimulating discussions regarding how to live wholistically in Israel and the world.

    The substitute chemical sweeteners may not be the best for brain and body health -- and yes are better than diabetes and dialysis. (I live in one of the USA's dialysis capitols -- Colorado. Hispanic and Native American eating ways and genes unite. I have driven folks at 4 am in all kinds of weather to dialysis. I have written grants.) The chemical sweetener is better than active diabetes, dialysis, and early death. I recently lost my dear Rabbi Joshua Toledano to diabetes plus complications and MD stupidity; everyday I talk with Rabbi Toledano, so missing his wisdom provided with a loving spirit and deep soul.

    On the Forum, we have been discussing stevia, the south American plant. Consider growing it in Neti Vot. Some folks still think that there may be chemical alternations in the brain paths from too much of it. There are recipes for using the plant.

    Most important, stay healthy! To our health,
    Kris Ayalla

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shalom Mrs Goodman You have a good point . The amount cost of sugar vs sweetener is negligible that should never create a price differential.

    Thank you for sending me your blog.

    Respectfully

    Manis

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  5. I was going to add my 2 cents (agarot?), but Meyer said exactly what I was going to say :)

    Unfortunately,it's all about supply and demand. The demand for your needs is much much less than the demand for the salty, sugary stuff.

    Case in point: I only eat natural peanutbutter - no salt, no sugar, no nothing added. Just peanuts. Natural peanutbutter is more expensive than skippy, jiffy, or any other "chemicals added" brand out there. The less that's in there, the more you pay.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Miriam,
    I read your pet peeve and really agree, however, my husband said the same thing, it has to do
    with the labor on the production line. We now have truvia here in the US, I am not diabetic, but
    its steevia; truvia has taken the best part of the steevia plant and ground it up. I buy it in packets.
    Its not expensive here, do they have this in Israel. a few years ago when I was in Israel, I looked
    for steevia and found very little....so maybe its changed now
    Fayge

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Alissa

    I checked today and the B&D natural peanut butter [green label] is the same price as the sugar peanut butter and it is delicious. This is because it isn't listed as a specialty item or on the specialty shelf.
    I buy the large size as it is more economical/ My dietIican told me that this is the healthiest peanut butter on the market. We have been using it for years.
    This goes to show this if they want to manufactures can keep the price down.
    Miriam

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  8. CORRECTION: I typed B&D when it should have said B&B Beigel & Beigel.

    Miriam

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  9. If you're using sugar alternative ASPARTAME, stop immediately. It turns into formaldehyde after you swallow it.

    You can do yourself a BIG favor by going organic. I literally saved my life that way.

    The processed foods chain is full of chemicals, including synthetics, that damage human health. You just never hear dieticians advising us about how many pounds of pesticide we need, or how many xenoestrogens (perfume, hair care products, cosmetics) we should use to alter human chemistry. And that's just a hint of why people wonder why they can't conceive, thrive, or feel so sick all the time.


    Yocheved Golani http://www.linkedin.com/in/yochevedgolaniink
    http://twitter.com/yochevedgolani
    www.yochevedgolani.com and
    http://itsmycrisisandillcryifineedto.blogspot.com/

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