Social Justice and Food Pricing

The purpose of this activity is to become aware of the impact of pricing on families below the poverty line. For many such families, $40 is all they have to spend on groceries to feed their family for a week.

This assignment has five parts.

1. Select a retail location that sells food and plan some time to shop.

2. Assume you are shopping for a family with one adult and one teenage boy. The family has some items at home such as sugar, flour, spices, and salt.

3. You can actually spend the $40 or just record in detail how you would spend the $40.

4. Following your shopping experience summarize the following information in a document:

o Identify the store where you shopped.

o List what you purchased for $40.

o List observations about the type or quality of food purchased.

o Define the pricing strategy of the store where you shopped and explain why you believe that to be the case.

In your answer, consider if the store where you shopped was committed to low prices, excellent service, a variety of offerings, convenience, or highest quality goods.

Post to the Discussion area as directed by your facilitator.

5. Read the posts of classmates. Reflect on challenges a family with $40 a week to spend on groceries faces. Consider what locations (Place) might be best for this target market. Consider Price objectives and strategies of retailers who address this market. Consider that price policies are built on the customer's ability to pay and the company's need for profit.