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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

GLBT and Kroger...BOYCOTT? (getting on my soapbox!)

Over at Facebook, I belong to the "Fan Page" for the retail grocery chain, Kroger(KROGER FACEBOOK FAN PAGE). You can ask questions, find out what weekly deals and sales that they are having (or will be having the following week) and converse with fellow customers of the establishment.

The store has re-done their FB page and so I had to search a bit for the DISCUSSIONS tab (which happened to be under BOXES). I like to "talk" with others on the boards in that manner.

Yesterday, I came across one titled "I will not shop at Kroger because you denied sponsorship to the LGBT community.". Of course, it did pique my interest. So, I opened it up and read the initial post that opened the proverbial can of worms. It went like this..

"Removing your use of your logo for the Cincinnati LGBT pride festival is a poor decision.

I live in Columbus, have a Kroger across the street from my house, but your regressive ways have made me rethink going to any Kroger location. I will spend my families money where I am appreciated.

I have already switched to Giant Eagle and will actively spread the word for others to do the same. "

Now, if you know me, I am ALL for the rights and equality for the GLBT Community. Yes, even marriage. But I am also not one to go off on a tangent such as this over the fact that CORPORATE OFFICE made the decision to remove their logo from the Pride Festival.

Was it wrong for Kroger to do such a thing? YES! In *my* mind it was. Kroger spreads talk of community and unity, and wanting to help others. But talk is cheap these days. But to pull out of the Pride Festival, in fear of what their customers *might* think (and HELLO!! Kroger, you DO have customers that are gay, you idiot Heads!) of them.

But to punish a LOCAL store in your area over what the Corporate Office (in Cincinnati, Ohio, mind you!) did (I feel) makes YOU just as bad as the Head Office. When you refuse to shop there (or at any retailer) and take a bunch of friends with you, then yes, you ARE denying a basic, everyday, hard-working employee a paycheck.

Same with gas stations. I do NOT buy the BP gas (for obvious reasons!), but I will not *refuse* to shop inside the convenience store. That store has nothing to gain from BP, except a small percentage of earnings from BP for "featuring" their BP product. Most of their income is through the selling of IN-STORE products, being that the store it's self is of it's own entity. A franchise.

My husband, for the last ten years of his life, has worked at Kroger Food & Drug. And for eight of those ten years (started as, then promoted, then had to go back to it due to certain circumstances and is presently there) Scott has been Head Frozen Food Clerk. Do you HONESTLY think he ENJOYS freezing his ass off daily to provide YOU, the consumer with "quick and easy" meals? I can tell you a resounding NO! At least not ALL of the time.

He gets crap for pay, as he (sometimes) works up to a ten-hour shift, busting his ass to place products on his shelves, make sure orders that come in are stocked with what he needs to supply YOU with to grab off of those shelves and has to hear customers bitch and yell at him for what the WAREHOUSE scratched (did not send) on the order (which is NOT up to him).

When you refuse to shop, you are taking away pay from him, and his fellow employees. And in turn, you are taking it from my kids, and their (fellow employees) families. We rely on those paychecks (just like anyone else in any other employment position) to clothe, feed and house our children. And when you "boycott" a store for what is OUT OF THE *LOCAL STORE'S* control, you not only hurt that store and their employees, you hurt US, THE FAMILIES of those employees.

Everyone wants equal rights. Is it really and honestly fair to "boycott" a single store for what their Corporate Office did? What (Corporate Office) did was INDEED blatantly WRONG. Call THEM. Write to THEM. Email THEM. Don't make the "little guy" suffer. They get the shitty end of the stick. It's Corporate that needs to have a hole burned in their pockets. Not my husband (or my children).

7 comments:

Judith Wilson Burkes said...

Was there ever posted an official reason for the logo removal? What actually happened? Those are the first questions that come to mind.

But as for your position, I support you 100%. Don't make your local store (especially in this recession) suffer for the mistakes/decisions of a corporate office NOWHERE near you!

I supposed she felt she had to do something locally, but rather than boycott, why not at least open a dialogue with her local people. Maybe if she got to know them, she would find members of the GBLT community working their butts off for her right there!

Missy said...

Was there ever posted an official reason for the logo removal? Not that I have seen in the post I referenced.

What actually happened? All I know is that basically right before a Pride Fest, Kroger removed their sponsorship.

What people do NOT seem to get is that what CORPORATE says, MUST go. No if's, and's or but's. Management at STORE LEVEL sadly has NO say, what-so-ever. They MUST comply with Head Office. Or it is THEIR job on the line.

dot said...

Corporate offices make a lot of lousy decisions without think of the repercussions on the community. They will realize that it was stupid and offer a token apology But when will they do it.

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