Jul 10 2009
Trader Joe’s Sells Red List Fish, Just Because
Lovely. And I did so love being able to just pop over there and buy whatever yummy goodness they had going. But this kind of thing is just ridiculous.
Trader Joe’s: How Not to Approach Sustainability
In correspondence dated March 11, 2008 (the most recent and only time Trader Joe’s management deigned to discuss the issue of seafood sustainability with Greenpeace), Jon Basalone, Senior Vice President of Marketing, stated “We simply listen to our customers” when it comes to deciding how to do its business and determine what it sells. This view is antithetical to the basic tenets of Corporate Social Responsibility – to take social, environmental, and political concerns into account when doing business – and runs counter to consumer preference and marketing trends toward sustainable products.
You can read more here (pdf) and here and here.
Normally, I’m not a Greenpeace fan; they’ve not been very supportive of Sea Shepherd or very aggressive in their stance with regards to direct interference in the slaughter of marine life. But this corporate perspective is very helpful, very timely, and entirely appropriate.
Please tell Trader Joe’s what you think.
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This makes me sick. Thanks, L, for pointing it out- even if it is another sadly glaring reminder that the almighty bottom line pretty much always beat out doing the right thing when it comes to corporate America.
Trader Joe’s also refuses to buy local.