Open letter to supermarkets

Hello,

Today I finally bit the bullet and sent a copy of this open letter to the Canberra Times (I live in Canberra), the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian and the Age, what do you think? If you support the basic argument, you could either draft your own letters and promote a campaign for change, or use this one and send out to others, urging them to do like wise. It’s crazy the way things are at the moment, we need a change.

Regards,ginalol

OPEN LETTER TO ALL SUPERMARKETS

Dear Friends,

I am writing now because I can. My children are now 10 and 13. I am way past the toddler stage, but when I look back, one of the many changes that I swore I would try to do something about, when I could, is to promote drive through access to supermarkets!

You wouldn’t believe just how difficult it can be, if you have a toddler and a baby, you are on the way home, and you need to drop into the supermarket to get some basics. In these days where there is so much talk about the dangers of leaving children in the car, even for a short period, why hasn’t it happened already?!

When driving home, often either the baby, or the toddler, will be asleep (so you need to wake them up). You need to get both of them out of their car seats (no mean feat) and into either a pram, or carry the baby and walk (through often dangerous car parks with a toddler that is tired and cranky). You need to make sure you’ve got your purse, and anything else that may be required for the kids. You need to get into the store and locate the items (often the milk or the bread is at the other end), and then, and sometimes this can almost be the most difficult, move through the checkouts, either distracting, or arguing, with the toddler about why they can’t have the chocolate, magazine, lollipop, or any other enticing objects that may be placed there by the management. Once you’re through that hurdle, it’s back through the dangerous car park, strapped back into the car seats (sometimes I’ve seen toddlers scream the house down rather than get strapped in again) and then off home, only to go through the exit strategy one more time.

Please, please, take pity on the mums and dads of the world, who just need some milk, break, cereal, nappies, eggs, or what-have-you to tide them over until the next big shop (hopefully without the kids in tow) and set up some drive through windows and a service that caters for the basics, the most requested items. I’m sure you can do it and we will love you for it!

Yours in anticipation, (name and address)

  #2      

positive action

That's a great idea ginalol:

the other thing I have seen work was with a chain in the UK ( lived and worked there for a couple of years ) where they had a group of local Mums with tinies and worked with that group on a focus group kind of basis to bring in changes that would support that group in their shopping.

Some of the things I saw as a result of this were: dedicated pram parks right by the doors like disabled parking ( and this was about 15 years back ) , aisles with no lollies or toys at toddler height, checkouts with no junk/merchandise for toddlers and pre schoolers of any kind to fiddle with, destroy, whine over or grab!

__________________
:::iona:::

  #3      

add to that non-sloping paths!!

Quote:

That's such a cool idea ginalol!! You have absolutely hit the nail on the head. Having a drive through would make life a lot easier. The other thing that i have been perplexed about - but not known what to do about - is how often the paths around supermarkets are sloping.

Have the architects that designed these (for perfect drainage no doubt) ever tried pushing a full trolley with a toddler and a older kid in tow and experienced how nigh impossible it is to do this without sustaining some kind of injury?

Did u send this letter to the editorial of these papers? are u hoping that other parents idenitfy with this? how would u know if they do? would u send letters (and encourage others) to specific supermarkets - how would u coordinate an action group for this issue? still trying to get my head around how u can effectively advocate for change around this issue. would love to know.

__________________
poppyg

Me - 37
DH - 39

  #4      

shopping centres

I've been thinking about this ever since I glimpsed it the other day. It's quite thought provoking. The synic (spelling???) in me says that they won't do drive thru's because it will reduce our impulse buying - this is the reason they gave when my friend asked why we can't "pay at the pump" with our credit card at the petrol station anymore - and let's face it, how often do we go in for one thing and come out with 6? I was driving to the shops today with 2 very tired munchkins, promising them it would be one thing (whishing I could sms a list to the shop & have it waiting at the drive thru window!) and by the time I got in there, I'd added a few more!

Good luck with this one, hope you get somewhere!

__________________
Cookiemother2
"Bubble" born 2 July 2007.

  #5      

drive through supermarkets

You know I'm just been really pragmatic when it comes to this one. I sent around the open letter to various newspapers and don't think any of them took it up - though I got a reply from the main office for the Child newspapers - you know Sydney child, Melbourne child etc and they said that they would be interested in publishing the letter if I hadn't sent to other publications. I wrote back and said that no one else had taken it up as yet and that it would be appropriate and relevant if they decided to do so. Haven't heard back from that one as yet.

I decided that I would just send the letter to the headquarters of Woolworths, Coles and our local IGA supermarkets, at least for a start. Seems doable. It would be great if one of the newspapers took it up because it is just too easy for head offices to just tray letters such as this. It is the type of issues that could get taken up if we were able to it the idea out there (Child newspapers - could be a great allie) as well as a call to some talk back shows. I'll locate our local, Canberra talk back and give them a call, they are always saying what do you want to talk about. That is a doable, don't you think - and anyone else, particularly, in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane who wanted to do the same - please do.

For me I'm just thinking along the lines of personal actions rather than coordinated approaches, as the coordinating can take all the time and energy.

I'll report any developments and actions and please, if anyone else does something, even if it is talking to your local supermarket management, please let us know. I will post something about the 'campaign' on other relevant sites - if anyone here would also like to do the same. If one of us has pipped the other with the other site - all the better.

take care and regards, Ginalol