The Greek government recently came up with a plan to help feed its millions who are without food. The plan was to take effect September 1. Two days after the plan was announced, the supermarkets slammed the door shut on the proposal.
Most Greeks are living below the poverty level. Fathers cannot feed their families. They are without money to buy groceries. Most of these fathers have been hard working all their lives and now find themselves in a humbling situation not of their making.
I believe the Greek government has been and is screwed up when it comes to money. Otherwise, the Greek people would not be in the dire economic straits they are today.
The Greek government announced that as of September 1, supermarkets and grocery stores would be permitted to sell outdated foods. Expired foods. Foods that were beyond the date set forth following "Best used by....."
Depending on the type of food, the groceries could be sold anywhere from one week to three months following the expiration date.
The government required the stores to set aside a special section with a sign for the aged foodstuffs. All foods so sold were to be sold priced below what they were initially labeled to be sold for.
What a wonderful solution to a serious problem! Make bad food available to the public. Put the consumers at risk. Invite e.coli, salmonella, botulism and I do not know what else to poison your own people.
The plan was bad on its face. It did not take long for someone to raise holy hell about it. The supermarkets.
The supermarkets stood together. They were concerned with health and safety issues. Outdated produce especially raised their ire. The supermarkets refused to poison their customers. A few of the smaller stores swiftly jumped into the program, but it is expected they will back away.
The plan backfired. Before it even got going.
Is the Greek government capable of doing better? I do not know. Perhaps no one knows how to do better. The economically driven Greek calamity may be without solution in every respect. The proposal itself reeked of desperation.
As you are aware, I have spent a considerable amount of time in Greece the past two summers. One of my friends communicated with me. On the second day of this program, she bought a bag of outdated rice at a grocery store. When she opened it, the rice was crawling with small worms.
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