So selling fruit and veg would subsidise their normal operation. Aldi for instance sell 6 fruit and veg on special offer at any one time. Chemists could do similar.
so they make (the cheaper thing) fruit and veg more expensive to subsidise the items that wold naturally be more expensive? dont ever open a business mate.
To say nothing of all the other places selling it also.
There are plenty of places selling fresh fruit and vegetables already - supermarkets, corner shops, convenience stores, markets, greengrocers, fruit and veg box deliveries to name but a few. If people aren't already "opting in" to eating healthily with the abundance of places already selling fresh fruit and veg I hardly see how selling them at a chemists is going to encourage people to do it.
I'd rather the people working in pharmacies and chemists stuck to doing what they do now rather than diluting their roles further by turning them into part time greengrocers.
This!
I wish people would just race facts, if others do not want to eat healthy it's their choice! There are plenty of stores that sell healthy food
There are plenty of places selling fresh fruit and vegetables already - supermarkets, corner shops, convenience stores, markets, greengrocers, fruit and veg box deliveries to name but a few. If people aren't already "opting in" to eating healthily with the abundance of places already selling fresh fruit and veg I hardly see how selling them at a chemists is going to encourage people to do it.
I'd rather the people working in pharmacies and chemists stuck to doing what they do now rather than diluting their roles further by turning them into part time greengrocers.
It's only a pointless idea if you don't believe or understand that the consumption of fruit and veg is related to good health.
Food is a medicine or poison just as much as drugs and allied stuff they dispense.
It's only a pointless idea if you don't believe or understand that the consumption of fruit and veg is related to good health.
Food is a medicine or poison just as much as drugs and allied stuff they dispense.
Yeah ... and that's the basis of your idea?
Maybe they should also sell sports equipment because that's related to health?
Do you want them to be forced to sell fruit & veg, or do they have the option to say "No. It's a stupid idea. We're not going to give up valuable floor-space to sell apples and turnips"?
What about the long shelf-life, high margin products they'd have to get rid of to make space? Do the chemists get some hefty subsidy on the fruit & veg, thereby undercutting greengrocers and threatening their businesses ... or does everyone (including the supermarkets etc.) get hefty subsidies on fruit & veg, in which case, what's the incentive for chemists?
Do you really think that people aren't aware that fruit & veg is good for you? Do you really think that Mr. and Mrs. Average-Joe wander round the supermarket, utterly confused by the fruit & veg, but would suddenly think "Hey ... they must be good for you!" just because they saw them in Boots the Chemist when they popped in to get some pile ointment and diarrhoea tablets?
Personally, I think if you conducted a survey and asked the question "Is eating fruit & veg good for you?" hardly anyone would say "No" or "I don't know". Okay, you might get one or two who'd claim that the government is adding mind-control agents to fruit & veg which is why they're encouraging people to eat the stuff, but that could be easily solved by having chemists sell tin-foil hats. It would certainly make more sense than having them sell strawberries and parsnips.
So selling fruit and veg would subsidise their normal operation. Aldi for instance sell 6 fruit and veg on special offer at any one time. Chemists could do similar.
And you know that Aldi make a profit on their line because.....? Or have you not heard of 'loss leaders' ?
In fact it is more likely the reverse, that the margins on medicines would subsidise the losses on fruit and veg.
Where do you think that greengrocers get their supplies from? And how they are much lower in the pecking order than supermarkets. Where do you think chemists would fit in the hierarchy?
I've been to my local chemist to ask what is the best form of treatment for 'insert name of ailment here' and they give specialised advice. I'd be extremely surprised if a supermarket employee would be able to do the same.
As other people have mentioned, the current system works pretty well, so if it works don't try and fix it. Some heroin addicts are prescribed Methadone. They go into the chemist and drink it inside there and then. You don't really want your local supermarket to be giving that out over the counter, even if they were allowed to.
It'd promote health more by putting t hem miles apart then lazy bastards would get some exercise between the two - even if it just meant walking from the car to the shop twice as often
It'd promote health more by putting t hem miles apart then lazy bastards would get some exercise between the two - even if it just meant walking from the car to the shop twice as often
If you put these places miles apart, people will either not go there or use a car if public transport is not available. I don't think you've really thought this through. And I don't own a car anyway, so I either walk or get public transport.
Comments
so they make (the cheaper thing) fruit and veg more expensive to subsidise the items that wold naturally be more expensive? dont ever open a business mate.
To say nothing of all the other places selling it also.
This!
I wish people would just race facts, if others do not want to eat healthy it's their choice! There are plenty of stores that sell healthy food
It's only a pointless idea if you don't believe or understand that the consumption of fruit and veg is related to good health.
Food is a medicine or poison just as much as drugs and allied stuff they dispense.
Yeah ... and that's the basis of your idea?
Maybe they should also sell sports equipment because that's related to health?
Do you want them to be forced to sell fruit & veg, or do they have the option to say "No. It's a stupid idea. We're not going to give up valuable floor-space to sell apples and turnips"?
What about the long shelf-life, high margin products they'd have to get rid of to make space? Do the chemists get some hefty subsidy on the fruit & veg, thereby undercutting greengrocers and threatening their businesses ... or does everyone (including the supermarkets etc.) get hefty subsidies on fruit & veg, in which case, what's the incentive for chemists?
Do you really think that people aren't aware that fruit & veg is good for you? Do you really think that Mr. and Mrs. Average-Joe wander round the supermarket, utterly confused by the fruit & veg, but would suddenly think "Hey ... they must be good for you!" just because they saw them in Boots the Chemist when they popped in to get some pile ointment and diarrhoea tablets?
Personally, I think if you conducted a survey and asked the question "Is eating fruit & veg good for you?" hardly anyone would say "No" or "I don't know". Okay, you might get one or two who'd claim that the government is adding mind-control agents to fruit & veg which is why they're encouraging people to eat the stuff, but that could be easily solved by having chemists sell tin-foil hats. It would certainly make more sense than having them sell strawberries and parsnips.
In fact it is more likely the reverse, that the margins on medicines would subsidise the losses on fruit and veg.
Where do you think that greengrocers get their supplies from? And how they are much lower in the pecking order than supermarkets. Where do you think chemists would fit in the hierarchy?
As other people have mentioned, the current system works pretty well, so if it works don't try and fix it. Some heroin addicts are prescribed Methadone. They go into the chemist and drink it inside there and then. You don't really want your local supermarket to be giving that out over the counter, even if they were allowed to.
If you put these places miles apart, people will either not go there or use a car if public transport is not available. I don't think you've really thought this through. And I don't own a car anyway, so I either walk or get public transport.