Inflating Essential Pricing

In a tense federal courtroom in downtown Portland, the spotlight was on Kroger executives as they faced sharp scrutiny over allegations of inflating prices on essential staples such as eggs and milk. This courtroom drama unfolded against the backdrop of Kroger’s proposed national merger with supermarket behemoth Albertsons — a move Kroger claims is vital for their competitive edge in the retail market.

Outside, the drama resonated, with Kroger-owned Fred Meyer’s workers, represented by UFCW Local 555, actively striking across Portland. Their signs, a vivid display of protest against unfair labor practices, underscored a deepening divide between corporate profits and workers’ lived realities.

The union drew a connecting line, spotlighting Kroger’s courtroom admission as emblematic of a broader corporate disregard for both consumer and employee welfare. “Kroger’s exposed strategy of upping prices on basics like milk and eggs only intensifies our drive for equitable labor terms,” the statement from UFCW Local 555 forcefully articulated.

Central to the courtroom revelations was an internal company email, wielded by FTC lawyers, authored by Kroger’s senior director for pricing, Andy Groff. The email candidly noted that the retail price upticks on milk and eggs were “significantly higher than cost inflation,” laying bare a strategy to offload elevated costs onto consumers. This disclosure stirred a noticeable reaction among courtroom attendees, piercing the veil typically shrouding corporate decision-making.

Kroger countered, urging the email’s context be considered as isolated rather than reflecting their broader price strategy. “The email in question does not define our company’s enduring commitment to compress margins and competitively price our goods,” defended a Kroger spokesperson, emphasizing ongoing responses to erratic pricing landscapes since 2020 and maintaining that their pricing aligns competitively with industry leaders like Walmart.

Simultaneously, the ongoing strike at Fred Meyer accentuated community solidarity and frustration concerning soaring living costs, linking the in-court disputes to palpable systemic issues. “It’s as if there’s ‘big corporations’ on one end and ‘everyone else’ on the other,” voiced Justin Godoy, echoing a common sentiment among shoppers disillusioned by perceived corporate avarice overshadowing basic needs.

From the corporate side, Fred Meyer linked the strike’s timing to the pivotal merger, framing the union as pivotal in safeguarding the fate of unionized grocery stores across America. “The merger underscores our commitment to the future of unionized grocery stores,” the company declared, steering the conversation towards a favorable merger outcome.

With the strike poised to continue until the following Tuesday disrupting operations across 28 stores, and an impending decision on the Kroger-Albertsons merger, the issues of corporate stewardship, labor rights, and consumer advocacy hung in balance — unresolved yet deeply interwoven. Community backing for the strikers was palpable, and the reverberations from these intertwined disputes were set to resonate well beyond Portland, casting a long shadow over the national conversation around corporate integrity and economic justice.

Further reading, check out these links.

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https://www.koin.com/news/portland/kroger-albertsons-merger-price-gouging-ftc-allegations-fred-meyer-workers-strike

https://www.commondreams.org/news/kroger-egg-prices

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/kroger-executive-confesses-to-excessively-raising-prices-beyond-inflation/ss-AA1pDO4b

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ROME /PRNewswire/ — Two years after the publication of OBAMANOMICS AND FRANCISCONOMICS (2022), Dr. Zekeh Gbotokuma was boosted by three international accolades that his book has received. Everything began with the book launch at the Assisi 2022 Global Event with Pope Francis on September 22-24. The three accolades that followed the book launch were the Second Place win at Milano International Literary Awards 2022; the Special Critics Prize at Cattolica International Literary Awards 2023 a.k.a. “The Oscar of Italian Literature” (https://ereleases.com/y/lkxa); and Literary Global Book Awards 2023 in the Category of Social Change (2023 Literary Global Book Awards Winners and Finalists). These accolades have incentivized the author to spread the word about his book from Johns Hopkins University’s Humanities in the Village program to Paris’ Université Sorbonne and Rome’s La Sapienza University, the venue of the XXVth World Congress of Philosophy (XXVWCP), 1-8 August, 2024. Dr. Gbotokuma’s paper title is, “OBAMANOMICS AND FRANCISCONOMICS: Reflections on President Obama’s and Pope Francis’s S.O.S. Call for Poverty Alleviation and Green Economy.”

ABSTRACT
President Obama and Pope Francis are two global leaders, whose elections have symbolized hope and change in a spider’s web-like world. Their synergy was useful in a concerted effort to wage the war on poverty and climate change in accordance with the UN’s Global Goals and the Paris Accord of 2015.

Obamanomics and Francisconomics is a critical economics theory. It questions existing capitalist system. Its commitment to economic and ecological justice leads the two leaders to suggest ways to improve life in our unequal world. Obama and Francis believe that poverty and climate change are phenomena that humans can control via the green revolution. They decry greed as a contributing factor to inequalities. Francis proposes a new approach to property based on the early Christian thought. Obama stresses equal opportunity and a fair share and fair shot middle-class economics.

WCP is the biggest philosophical gathering organized by the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés Philosophiques (FISP). For Gbotokuma, XXVWCP is also like a homecoming since he is an alumnus of Rome’s Gregorian University.

Dr. Gbotokuma is a Philosophy Professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He is the author of numerous publications and one of “the Key Figures in the African Intellectual Revolution” (QUORA).

SOURCE Dr. Zekeh S. Gbotokuma

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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia /PRNewswire/ — MINISO, the renowned global lifestyle brand, recently introduced the second edition of its Eagle Leader Plan in Malaysia. This initiative is designed to strengthen MINISO’s global talent supply chain and is part of a broader global talent program that the company first launched in 2022.

Talent Training Program

As a rapidly expanding global retailer with a presence in 111 countries and markets, MINISO recognizes the importance of a strong and diverse talent pool to support its global business strategy. The Eagle Leader Plan II, launched on July 18th in Malaysia, brought together more than ten Malaysian graduates from leading universities worldwide. These young professionals will have unparalleled opportunities for growth and development toward key positions such as national deputy general managers, national operations managers, and national merchandise managers.

In addition to the Eagle Leader Training Camp, in the upcoming 1-2 years, these trainees will continue to receive training courses covering systematic theory and core operational courses. The phases of the program include domestic operation study, overseas rotation study, overseas fixed-position practice, and management training camp.

The program has already equipped a total of 36 trainees to support MINISO’s international operation and management in various markets such as the United States, Canada, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

MINISO plans to continue recruiting for the Eagle Leader Training Camp and aims to train 30 more global talents for the Eagle Leader Plan II within the next three years. The Eagle Leader Plan holds immense significance for MINISO as it will not only help build MINISO’s global talent supply chain but also enhance its organizational capacity for global business development, in line with the company’s global business strategy.

Bella Tu, Vice President and General Manager of MINISO Overseas Directly Operatetd Markets, attributes MINISO’s success to four foundational pillars: hard work and dedication, focusing on long-term goals and sustainable growth, achieving tangible outcomes and measurable success, and learning from best practices while setting high standards. She encourages everyone to embrace and practice this culture.

Jessica Huang, Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of MINISO, highlights the critical role of talent and corporate culture at MINISO. She describes the company as a nurturing ground for retail talent and is committed to enhancing mechanisms for talent selection, development, and care. MINISO offers its employees excellent benefits, diverse training opportunities, and a people-centric culture, creating a platform for their continuous growth and development.

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Adding to its commitment to developing global talents, MINISO recently opened the MINISO Malaysia Global Talent Development Centre in its Malaysian branch. This initiative will continue to cultivate more globally oriented talents in Malaysia, further strengthening the company’s workforce of over two hundred local employees. With its presence in 111 countries and markets, 6600+ shops worldwide, and the constant expansion of its overseas business, MINISO presents a promising future for its employees and the company as a whole.

For more information, please visit

https://www.linkedin.com/company/minisolife

SOURCE MINISO

STM Daily News is a vibrant news blog dedicated to sharing the brighter side of human experiences. Emphasizing positive, uplifting stories, the site focuses on delivering inspiring, informative, and well-researched content. With a commitment to accurate, fair, and responsible journalism, STM Daily News aims to foster a community of readers passionate about positive change and engaged in meaningful conversations. Join the movement and explore stories that celebrate the positive impacts shaping our world.

https://stmdailynews.com/category/stories-this-moment

The Bridge is a section of the STM Daily News Blog meant for diversity, offering real news stories about bona fide community efforts to perpetuate a greater good. The purpose of The Bridge is to connect the divides that separate us, fostering understanding and empathy among different groups. By highlighting positive initiatives and inspirational actions, The Bridge aims to create a sense of unity and shared purpose. This section brings to light stories of individuals and organizations working tirelessly to promote inclusivity, equality, and mutual respect. Through these narratives, readers are encouraged to appreciate the richness of diverse perspectives and to participate actively in building stronger, more cohesive communities.

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