http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/ Business, Better. Since 2005 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 04:15:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-83489 In.gredients Aims to Become First Package-Free and Zero Waste Store Fri, 15 Jul 2011 07:49:27 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/#comment-83489 [...] Of course with the reduction in packaging, food prices are actually kept low because you are paying for only the food and not all the nasty packaging that comes with it. This concept is also viable for selling grain. [...] [...] Of course with the reduction in packaging, food prices are actually kept low because you are paying for only the food and not all the nasty packaging that comes with it. This concept is also viable for selling grain. [...]

]]> http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-14106 jo Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:38:46 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/#comment-14106 how much does it cost for one person to eat for one year in california? How about all the average costs to live for one year for one person - does anyone know where I can find this info? how much does it cost for one person to eat for one year in california? How about all the average costs to live for one year for one person – does anyone know where I can find this info?

]]> http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-14105 Jenni Lukac Thu, 12 Oct 2006 14:47:19 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/#comment-14105 Great comments. Farming subsidies here in Europe have very similar results to subsidies in the States. The European Union has promoted higher eclogical and ethical standards throughout Europe, but it has also made life easier for multinational lobbies. They just aren´t as visible to the wide European public in Brussels as they would be in dozens of different capitals lobbying for things like GM foods. People here in Spain would like to believe that they follow a healthy, Mediterranean diet, but it is no longer true. Junk food is a staple and there is corn syrup in canned vegtables and chocolate breakfast cereal hawked to children, just like in the U.S. Organic food is scarce and expensive, which leads to Maryline´s comment. Food is an expensive commodity relative to salaries. Less so in the richer nations, such as Sweden, but becomely critically expensive in countries like Spain, where most salaries have stagnated at there late 1990´s level. When I came to Spain six years ago, everyone joked about fat Americans. Now nobody is joking and doctors like heart specialist Valentin Fuster admits that, "We aren´t treating heart conditions, we´re treating obesity". But there´s hope in the rural areas. I´ve just returned from a visit to Berge, in Aragon, a village of 250 people where Isabel Rebello, a fantastic woman, has just opened a five room hotel, "La Posada de Berge." The posada is a lovely renovation of an old stone village house, complete with solar installations and equiped with a handicapped access room -a really special feature in Spain. The tomatoes, peaches and other delights that I enjoyed there were straight from the garden, and totally organic. Now if only I could get delivery here in Barcelona... Great comments. Farming subsidies here in Europe have very similar results to subsidies in the States. The European Union has promoted higher eclogical and ethical standards throughout Europe, but it has also made life easier for multinational lobbies. They just aren´t as visible to the wide European public in Brussels as they would be in dozens of different capitals lobbying for things like GM foods.
People here in Spain would like to believe that they follow a healthy, Mediterranean diet, but it is no longer true. Junk food is a staple and there is corn syrup in canned vegtables and chocolate breakfast cereal hawked to children, just like in the U.S. Organic food is scarce and expensive, which leads to Maryline´s comment. Food is an expensive commodity relative to salaries. Less so in the richer nations, such as Sweden, but becomely critically expensive in countries like Spain, where most salaries have stagnated at there late 1990´s level.
When I came to Spain six years ago, everyone joked about fat Americans. Now nobody is joking and doctors like heart specialist Valentin Fuster admits that, “We aren´t treating heart conditions, we´re treating obesity”.
But there´s hope in the rural areas. I´ve just returned from a visit to Berge, in Aragon, a village of 250 people where Isabel Rebello, a fantastic woman, has just opened a five room hotel, “La Posada de Berge.” The posada is a lovely renovation of an old stone village house, complete with solar installations and equiped with a handicapped access room -a really special feature in Spain. The tomatoes, peaches and other delights that I enjoyed there were straight from the garden, and totally organic. Now if only I could get delivery here in Barcelona…

]]> http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-14104 maryline Sat, 23 Sep 2006 20:09:43 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/#comment-14104 What these statistics do not reveal, is the type of food people buy. These statistics are misleading because, like you mentioned Jeni, they might mostly refer to processed food. As a european living in the US, I often get visitors from Europe. They are all puzzled by the cost of food here (I live in California!), especially what they buy the most in supermarkets: fruits and vegetables (about double from the european prices), fish and meat -chicken and beef of lower quality might be the only comparable items in terms of price; with similar quality it is higher too. The other part of the equation might simply be that the purchasing power of the US consumers is still much higher than any other country which would explain why the price of food remains a low percentage of income to compare with other countries. What these statistics do not reveal, is the type of food people buy. These statistics are misleading because, like you mentioned Jeni, they might mostly refer to processed food. As a european living in the US, I often get visitors from Europe. They are all puzzled by the cost of food here (I live in California!), especially what they buy the most in supermarkets: fruits and vegetables (about double from the european prices), fish and meat -chicken and beef of lower quality might be the only comparable items in terms of price; with similar quality it is higher too.
The other part of the equation might simply be that the purchasing power of the US consumers is still much higher than any other country which would explain why the price of food remains a low percentage of income to compare with other countries.

]]> http://www.triplepundit.com/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-14103 Gia Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:02:08 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2006/09/the-true-price-of-everything/#comment-14103 What about the fact that our taxes subsidise the farming industry? Wouldn't that raise the real cost of our food? Another hidden cost, the high price of health care for all those people fed on high-fructose corn syrup. What about the fact that our taxes subsidise the farming industry? Wouldn’t that raise the real cost of our food?
Another hidden cost, the high price of health care for all those people fed on high-fructose corn syrup.

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