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In the last couple of days, I've visited the doctor's office (and got a medical certificate covering the next couple of weeks), the local Centrelink office (got my medical certificate registered with them, so I don't need to be doing the activity test stuff) and now the nearest place that offered Job Capacity Assessments (where I got the advice they'll be recommending me for the local mental health jobsearch crew, with a note that I'm really only suited for 15 - 21 hours work per week). So far so lucky, and who knows, maybe I'll be able to get myself sorted out and get everything lined up for another six months or so, soonish.
As a sort of a mini-celebration, we visited the new SuperIGA supermarket which has opened up near us. Now, the IGA is the Independent Grocers Association - sort of a collective of all the little small store chains which used to be all over the place (all the little mini-mart stores), and they're the main third party in the Australian supermarket scene, beside the big two of Woolworths and Coles. I've always liked shopping at IGA stores because firstly, they're generally not at "big" malls, so it's not as much of an overload to visit them, and secondly, because they tend to have a wider range of actual product lines available than either of the two "big box" retailers. This one didn't disappoint - we were able to find some things which I hadn't been able to find in the local big box retailers, and stock up a bit. One of these things was junket tablets, which I haven't seen since I was a kid. I can remember my mother making up junkets for dessert (junket is a sort of milk jelly) when I was young - but I think the last time I had some I was in primary school. The ones I managed to pick up appear to only be a plain flavour, but I figure it's worth grabbing some just for the novelty value alone! We also managed to get the particular brand of shampoo Himself prefers (Revlon anti-dandruff stuff) and various other bits and pieces. Plus there's the wonderful feeling of "sticking it to the man" which comes from being able to shop at somewhere which isn't either Coles or Woolworths.
This last bit is important to me. Over the past two months, there's been an ongoing price war between Coles, Woolworths and the various dairying companies here in Australia over the appropriate price to sell milk to the consumer. Coles and Woolies have both lowered the prices on their "store brand" milk to $1 per litre (as well as pretty much dedicating 75% of their shelf space to these "store brand" products, so that even if you *do* want to purchase something else, you've a fair chance of not being able to find it), while the various dairy companies can't match that price (the two big retailers are pretty much covering it out of their profit margins). In the short term, yeah, it's possibly a win for the consumer, but in the long term, it means lower prices for the dairy farmers here in Australia, and it also means independent grocery companies (like IGA) are being forced to offer everyday staples at higher prices than the two larger chains. Essentially, it's a move to drive IGA out of the supermarket business, and narrow the options available to the consumer (again).
So as a consumer who appreciates a bit of choice, thanks (and doesn't want to be limited to what some buyer in inner-city Sydney or Melbourne thinks I should be purchasing) I figure it's worth my while to be buying groceries from IGA on as regular a basis as possible, if only because it helps them stay in the fight a while longer. If it means paying a bit more from a very low income (two of us on the dole, and renting our home at present), then so be it. I'm willing to make the necessary sacrifices, if it means having a retail environment which isn't down to "put up or shut up" for choices.
As a sort of a mini-celebration, we visited the new SuperIGA supermarket which has opened up near us. Now, the IGA is the Independent Grocers Association - sort of a collective of all the little small store chains which used to be all over the place (all the little mini-mart stores), and they're the main third party in the Australian supermarket scene, beside the big two of Woolworths and Coles. I've always liked shopping at IGA stores because firstly, they're generally not at "big" malls, so it's not as much of an overload to visit them, and secondly, because they tend to have a wider range of actual product lines available than either of the two "big box" retailers. This one didn't disappoint - we were able to find some things which I hadn't been able to find in the local big box retailers, and stock up a bit. One of these things was junket tablets, which I haven't seen since I was a kid. I can remember my mother making up junkets for dessert (junket is a sort of milk jelly) when I was young - but I think the last time I had some I was in primary school. The ones I managed to pick up appear to only be a plain flavour, but I figure it's worth grabbing some just for the novelty value alone! We also managed to get the particular brand of shampoo Himself prefers (Revlon anti-dandruff stuff) and various other bits and pieces. Plus there's the wonderful feeling of "sticking it to the man" which comes from being able to shop at somewhere which isn't either Coles or Woolworths.
This last bit is important to me. Over the past two months, there's been an ongoing price war between Coles, Woolworths and the various dairying companies here in Australia over the appropriate price to sell milk to the consumer. Coles and Woolies have both lowered the prices on their "store brand" milk to $1 per litre (as well as pretty much dedicating 75% of their shelf space to these "store brand" products, so that even if you *do* want to purchase something else, you've a fair chance of not being able to find it), while the various dairy companies can't match that price (the two big retailers are pretty much covering it out of their profit margins). In the short term, yeah, it's possibly a win for the consumer, but in the long term, it means lower prices for the dairy farmers here in Australia, and it also means independent grocery companies (like IGA) are being forced to offer everyday staples at higher prices than the two larger chains. Essentially, it's a move to drive IGA out of the supermarket business, and narrow the options available to the consumer (again).
So as a consumer who appreciates a bit of choice, thanks (and doesn't want to be limited to what some buyer in inner-city Sydney or Melbourne thinks I should be purchasing) I figure it's worth my while to be buying groceries from IGA on as regular a basis as possible, if only because it helps them stay in the fight a while longer. If it means paying a bit more from a very low income (two of us on the dole, and renting our home at present), then so be it. I'm willing to make the necessary sacrifices, if it means having a retail environment which isn't down to "put up or shut up" for choices.
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And how funny, I saw Junket in one of my stores recently too! I've never eaten it myself but have run across references to it in various places.