Editor:
This letter is pursuant your article (June 24) about the Whole Foods scandal.
I tip my hat to City Attorney Adam Radinsky. I hope that you can obtain and publish some figures of the three Whole Food branches located in Santa Monica. Namely, the average number of containers sold per month times the average weight per each container times the number of months Whole Foods has done business in Santa Monica.
The penalty assessments seems low. Does it reflect this calculated amount? If not, I hope that Whole Foods will be levied an additional amount reflecting that calculation. In my opinion, I think Whole Foods ought to donate to Santa Monica's Food Pantry and homeless programs. This way, Whole Foods patrons can collectively donate their unscrupulous up-charges to a worthy cause, thus take credit for it. The restitution to the Whole Foods community will provide a sense of closure to this scandal.
Also, I had an incident a while back. I had a squabble with the cashier at the express line at Wilshire and 23rd Street. I purchased a salad to go with dressing on the side. Cashier critiqued me for not pre-pouring it into the container. I told him I wasn't sure if I would like it. I planned to do a taste test outside. Cashier said he'll let it go just this one time. Then I questioned the cashier about the container's weight price deduction. Cashier said it was already pre-deducted to reflect the net weight of the food. He lied. I have been aware of Whole Foods' unethical business practices ever since.
I hope that all Whole Foods receipts will now specify weight price deduction per each container sold. Is this in the works?
Whole Foods also offers self-serve samples. They have signs on the salad bar denying its patrons self serve samples there. I find this double standard quite annoying.
I hope this note will be published in a follow up commentary with your other readers.
Barry Adler
Santa Monica
