Threats To Boycott Woolworths!

[Blurock]

I was also surprised when they told me, because i also thought the food was of a high standard. If i recall it had something to do with stuff they use to keep the food fresh for longer.

Please don't quote me, but I have heard that they wash or wipe fruit & veg with chlorine to keep it fresh for longer. Is that true?

[IanF]

Doesn't chlorine evaporate quickly, so it is not there when you buy the food. Especially when you dilute it.

[ians]

By the time the food arrives in the store it is already prepacked and sealed, so i have no idea what happens behind the scenes. We in SA dont get export quality products, we get the left overs, could it be that Woolworths on the other hand get export quality food and thats why they stand out from the competitors.

[Mike C]

Quite a long time ago we heard that Woolies food is irradiated to keep it fresher for longer. Don't know whether it is true or not, but might have a link to it being on the list that ians mentioned.

[cyppok]

Quite a long time ago we heard that Woolies food is irradiated to keep it fresher for longer. Don't know whether it is true or not, but might have a link to it being on the list that ians mentioned.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_5890559_argon-gas-used-food-processing_.html

I remember watching a documentary on industrial processing etc... In some way a lot of things are "zombified" to slow the progression of decay, but as soon as you open the container and oxygen gets in the process of decay is very rapid. It is like a mummy being exposed to time and elements in a fast forward fashion. In some aspect

You might also try to search for "hydrogenated fat" basically they are 'expanded' for more bulk/weight etc at the cost of your health here ya go link

http://www.umm.edu/features/tips.htm

Trans fatty acids are also called hydrogenated fats. When you add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil and then add pressure, the result is a stiffer fat, like the fat found in a can of Crisco. Trans fats are also called hydrogenated fats. Public health experts warn that these kinds of fats clog arteries and cause obesity.

They add other stuff besides argon for letuce packages and other veggies don't remember though.

Processed meat is usually a lot of filler and normal meat is generally ok I think.

Argon
Hydrogenation
There ya go. http://www.time-to-run.com/nutrition/worstfoods.htm (I don't believe in running but walking is ok)

Olestra
Olestra is a fake fat, used to make non-fat potato chips and other snacks. You’d think, with all the bad rap fat has gotten, a non-fat fat would be great. But Olestra has been shown to bind with fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D and K and carotenoids — substances thought to keep the immune system healthy and prevent some cancers — and to eliminate them from your system. Proctor & Gamble, the company that produces olestra, has acknowledged the problem with vitamins A, E, D and K and is now fortifying it with them. Olestra has also caused digestive upset in some people, especially when they eat a lot of it. Often, it’s not just fat in the potato chips that causes problems for people; it’s the fact that they are displacing healthier foods, such as fruit, so Olestra can just perpetuate an unhealthy habit.

Nitrates

Many foods, especially cured meats such as bacon and hot dogs, use nitrates to preserve color and maintain microbial safety. Nitrate is harmless, but it can convert to nitrite, which can form nitrosamines, a powerful cancer-causing chemical, in your body. Whenever possible, look for nitrate-free preserved meats. When you do eat foods containing nitrates, have a glass of orange juice at the same time (for instance, orange juice with your morning bacon). Vitamin C is known to inhibit the conversion to nitrosamines in your stomach.

(Nitrate is not harmles... in my view)

Monosodium glutamate, also known as sodium glutamate or MSG
Not sure how bad it is but some of my friends have reactions to it and it basically makes you think the food you are eating is yummy due to hormone imprinting taste (while the food could be crap)....

There are a few others but I am sorry these 5 are what comes to mind.

[Dave A]

Often, it’s not just fat in the potato chips that causes problems for people; it’s the fact that they are displacing healthier foods, such as fruit, so Olestra can just perpetuate an unhealthy habit.

I suspect that applies to many aspects of "healthy" eating.

[ians]

There is a time in a persons life when you need to start looking at certain things, 18 for example you shouldnt be worrying about heart attacks, but when you get to your late 40s, then it is time to start taking note. I have reached that point, late 40s, this year alone i have been rushed to ER twice for chest pains.

I have been watching a dvd some gave me yesterday, about health and foods we eat, health care and stats on deaths from heart related incidents, cancer etc. I must say it has been a bit of an eye opener. Some of the tested carried out on rats and what they use to make the rats fat so that they can do the experiments, and yes it is what we, or should i say a large population of the world eat.
They go into deatil about "fat free" products, sugar, i think it was msg, but stand to be corrected.

One of the things which stood out the most in the DVD and i am gulit of this, you are prepared to spend R4000 a month on a nice motor vehicle , yet spending a R1000 looking after your health is just not part of your monthly budget. What good is the motor vehicle to me if i die of a heart attack.

I have decided to do some research into a healthier life style, whether or not i actually change my lifestyle, only time will tell, if i live long enough.


I am not looking for a diet, been there and done that, lost 20 + kg walked my way to a healthier way of life, but lost the way and am back, 30 kg heavier and as lazy as can be. Waking up at 4.30 am is just not part of my daily routine anymore. It is so sad, in fact it is depressing, to a point that i just dont have the motivation anymore to get up and just do it. Maybe a heart bypass will spook me enough to get me off my lazy ass.

[Phil Cooper]

I think those that now boycott Woollies are being short sighted...

Woollies are bound to the law as far as staff is concerned - as are every company operating in our reverse-Apartheid country, which is the only country in the world which is ruled by a majority government which feels it is necessary to legislate to protect the majority from the minority.

However - EVERY shop you buy from is having goods delivered by carriers who are (almost certainly) only employing Black drivers, collecting goods from Warehouses almost fully staffed by Black staff, which are packed by black staff, after being bought to the packing area by black drivers, who collected the raw material and foods picked by black workers on farms.

Woollies were honest enough to advertise what they needed to do to comply with legislation over which they have no control, and are being hammered for it.

Would it have been better to have let everyone come for the interviews, wasting the time and petrol of all the White applicants who they could not employ anyway?

[Pap_sak]

Try to find a sport you actually enjoy - for me tennis but tried badminton which is also a lot of fun. I have a fairly decent home gym at home, I walk past it a few times a day...

[cyppok]

I suspect that applies to many aspects of "healthy" eating.

They kinda forget to mention a pre-disposition to diarrhea when you consume olestra.
how to cure diarhea caused by olestra
Other stuff too its not just displacement of healthy foods.

hydrogenated fat makes you feel full and content but in the end your body cannot break down most of it so it gets "deposited" and in a certain aspect you eat more but use less.

Phil Cooper, I have a very simple aspect you may not be looking at.

When commercial large scale businesses suffer from monetary impact due to actions within OR without their control. They tend to lobby the gov't for change. If you hurt their business monetarily harshly enough they will push for reforms that alleviate that hurt.
Granted Woolworth is being singled out in a sea of other firms that do the same thing, but realistically speaking you can only impact things on the margin if you are a minority (cant hurt everyone's pocket). Thus it makes sense to pick someone specific, amplifies the potential damage and makes others question the impact and how it could affect them.

A somewhat divide and conquer approach to a degree.

[Justloadit]

I think those that now boycott Woollies are being short sighted...

Woollies are bound to the law as far as staff is concerned - as are every company operating in our reverse-Apartheid country, which is the only country in the world which is ruled by a majority government which feels it is necessary to legislate to protect the majority from the minority.

However - EVERY shop you buy from is having goods delivered by carriers who are (almost certainly) only employing Black drivers, collecting goods from Warehouses almost fully staffed by Black staff, which are packed by black staff, after being bought to the packing area by black drivers, who collected the raw material and foods picked by black workers on farms.

Woollies were honest enough to advertise what they needed to do to comply with legislation over which they have no control, and are being hammered for it.

Would it have been better to have let everyone come for the interviews, wasting the time and petrol of all the White applicants who they could not employ anyway?

Hi Phil,

I have no issue with who is employed, and who does the job, what I have an issue with, is the outright racist manner which our government has put this in place, and threatening huge fines if not complied, causing the situation that not the best person for the job is employed, but preference was given to skin colour. We have supposed to have moved on from apartheid.

Interestingly my wife overheard one of the Woolworth's black ladies complaining to another employee after an encounter with a customer "It's not my fault that I am employed here....." and then she keep quite when she saw my wife.

The fact is that as a minority group, we have no chance using voting as a means to make a change, so we need to enlighten the masses of the damage that this is doing to our society by making noise when situations like this are presented. Had there not been the reaction to this that we experienced, no one would be the wiser.

Maybe as a minority group, we may feel that we are too privileged to do anything about, because one day it will be forgotten or removed. The fact here is, if there is not a lobbying started to highlight this, nothing will happen, and our children will be the ones to suffer. We need to rally as many people as possible, through all walks of life to oppose this type of thinking. Certain positions in business are only gained with experience from your journey to that position, and not purely because it was given to you.

[Blurock]

It is not only whites that are affected. Indian and coloured people are now finding that they are not black enough, so they do not qualify for a job or a promotion due.

My view has always been that diversity is good and keeps you on your toes. The best person for the job is the only way to ensure good products and service. There are enough educated and intelligent black people who can compete in the jobs market without racism having to be applied everywhere.

The worst thing that you can do to an employee is to expect him or her to work under someone who is not qualified for the job, whether that person be black, white or blue.

[Phil Cooper]

Hi

A friend of our is the major supplier / packer for Woolworths in SA. I spoke to him about the Chlorine cleaning on the week end.

He says ALL fresh produce that is eaten raw - lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, etc., have a bath in a Chlorinated water dip prior to packing, It is a VERY weak mix though - something like 2 parts per million.

This is NOT restricted to Woollies food - all suppliers do the same. It is necessary due to certain earth-based bacteria which if eaten, can and will give you severe diarrhea and other nasty consequences, which in elderly or youngsters can cause death.

However, it will largely dissipate before consumption, and a brief wash-off under a running tap will remove any dregs.

As far as meat, etc. is concerned, there is definitely no irradiation!

[Didditmiself]

This thread is a bit old but still so relevant!! The day the Woolworths story broke, my family and I decided 'that's it - no more shopping at Woolworths' Since then, they've probably lost quite a few white customers and they've done their utmost to justify their employment policy that that is not what they meant to say and blah blah blah. Another crowd that has seen the last of me is the SANBS! They apparently replaced 2 or 3 elderly white employees after they retired with blacks. When their HR dept was contacted, their response was the same as Woolworths "We don't hire whites anymore" Well after donating nearly 50 pints of blood to them over the years, that's it. Stuff them. If my race is not good for employment then neither is my blood.

[wynn]

Another crowd that has seen the last of me is the SANBS!

I donate very occasionally, I used to go regularly until a Specialist I know told me how any blood donated by blacks was dumped and 99% of the remaining blood was used on Friday and Saturday nights to keep alive drunkards who stabbed, shot one another etc.
He said it would be better if I donated blood directly if one of my relatives needed it?

I don't know if they still dump the blood but I remember a story I read that they even dumped blood donated by former President Mbeki.

The other thing that sticks in my craw is, even if I donate blood I have to pay for it if I have an operation while the SANBS here in EL have a really smart new building built specially for them where they store and distribute the blood from, instead of a cheap warehouse.