boycott or buycott..whole foods

[almaty 19]

The raging national debate over health care reform is pushing its way into the arugula-stocked aisles of area Whole Foods Market stores.

This evening, the St. Louis Tea Party Coalition, a conservative-leaning group that opposes President Barack Obama's health care reform proposal, is formally launching a "buycott" of Whole Foods, urging its members and supporters to shop for their groceries at a store known for its progressive green-and-granola image.

"There's definite irony," said Bill Hennessy, head of the coalition in St. Louis, adding, "This is a group of people who might have driven right by before."

The decidedly anti-tofu-and-fancy-cheese crowd plans to buy a week's groceries at Whole Foods' Town and Country store, followed by dinner amidst the recycling bins.

"We thought it'd be a nice opportunity for those who support free market principles to have dinner together," said Gina Loudon, a coalition organizer. "I've had all kinds of people saying, 'That's not normally where I shop, but you betcha, I'll be there on Tuesday.' "

The "buycott" comes several weeks after The Wall Street Journal published a piece penned by Whole Foods' chief executive, John Mackey, in which he argues, in effect, against Obama's proposal. MORE METRO

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Mackey, who built a small store in Austin, Texas, into the nation's largest organic and natural grocery chain, has publicly labeled himself a free-market libertarian. But his piece unleashed an angry storm of die-hard, left-leaning Whole Foods shoppers who feel his position on health care betrays the store's stated values — and theirs. A similar piece published in June by the chief executive of the Safeway chain, calling for market-based reforms, did not draw a similarly passionate customer response.

Some shoppers at the Whole Foods in Brentwood on Monday were happily unaware of the debate. "I didn't know about his position and, frankly, it wouldn't matter what position he has I'd still shop here," said Jessica Pin of Dallas and a student at Washington University. "I just want food."

But in the weeks after Mackey's piece appeared, thousands of Whole Foods fans have said they will boycott the store. Groups have sprung up on social media sites and all over the Internet, calling for others to join them.

The response was so huge that Whole Foods launched a special forum on its website, issued a letter distancing itself from Mackey's opinions and had employees personally call some of the thousands of irate customers who wrote or phoned to complain.

Sally Hampton, a Florissant native, is one of the lead organizers of a boycott effort that has gathered nearly 32,000 members.

"John Mackey's piece is filled with insurance industry talking points," Hampton said, from her home in southern California. "All my money has gone into Whole Foods because I'm willing to pay extra to buy food that's been humanely raised and not contributing to the poisoning of the Earth and water supply. ... But I'm not going back in there."

In St. Louis, the debate over health care flared recently after a town hall meeting held by U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-St. Louis, when Tea Party supporters and members of the Service Employees International Union got into a skirmish over the issue. The union says it's staying out of the boycott/"buycott" fray, but one labor group, the United Food and Commercial Workers, has organized workers to gather outside Whole Foods stores across the country, including the one in Brentwood.

"Shoppers have a right to know if their hard-earned money is going to executives who are trying to undermine President Obama and health care reform," explained Scott Frotman, a spokesman for the union.

The "buycotters," who also plan to gather at a Whole Foods in Dallas tonight, say they want to counter any impact the boycott might have and applaud Mackey for his position. Already, they say, supporters have spent thousands of dollars on gift cards on the company's website.

"I definitely will be shopping there more regularly now," Loudon said. "I'll be going out of the way."

Boycott experts point out that for boycotts or "buycotts" to have an impact, people have to stick with them, often for months and even years. Even then, it's often hard to get an accurate sense of any effects because other market forces might be at play.

Typically, experts say, boycotts are held to punish a company for a faulty product or service, or for unethical or irresponsible corporate behavior. This one is slightly different.

"They're boycotting the business because the owner has an opinion," said Fred Taub, president of a group called Boycott Watch, adding, "some people feel politically betrayed."

Dietlind Stolle, a professor of political science and expert in political consumerism at McGill University, notes that the boycott efforts don't seem to be aimed at a particular goal. "The store already acts ethically in all kinds of ways, which is what its customers want at least in part," she explained.

"It really is an interesting case," she added, "as other stores ... probably display much less ethical consideration."

Hampton says the boycotters are simply trying to bring attention to the debate and go beyond all the "screaming fests at town hall meetings."

Until then, she said, some good could come out of the "buycott." "There's a whole segment of the population that might be exposed to food and learn about where it comes from," she said.

On Monday night, shoppers at Whole Foods were divided on the issue.

"The company and him (Mackey), two separate things," said Nick Sinovich of St. Louis.

But Bryn Henley of St. Louis thought the company couldn't separate itself from Mackey's comments.

"They've tried to distance the company from what he said, but that's ridiculous," Henley said. "How much can you distance yourself from your CEO. This is free speech, that's why you boycott."

Or "buycott."

Tea Party members say they're going into Whole Foods with open minds. "We come bearing our wallets," said Michael Patrick Leahy, one of the group's national organizers. "We can probably learn a lot from the shoppers there."

i never shopped there prior and do no0t plan to in the future..too bourgeosis and shitty..wild oats, i liked

Edited September 1, 2009 by almaty

[Heracles 417]

Well in all fairness that was the CEO's personal opinion.

Or are we going to resort to mob rule? That is, you better do as we say or else...

[almaty 19]

yes correct, but he is the leader of the company....and allot of hippies who shop there are pissy

[mawilson 2,133]

yes correct, but he is the leader of the company....and allot of hippies who shop there are pissypussies