CGA is setting up meetings with City Council Members to discuss recent shopping enforcement efforts that gouge grocers whose carts are found on public property. If you are available next week to join me for a meeting, let me know right away.

CGA and other business advocacy organizations will meet with LA County’s Environmental Health Director Angelo Bellomo tomorrow afternoon to discuss our opposition to the Department’s proposed fee increases for health inspections and plan checks. Under an analysis completed by the County, larger stores would see dramatic increases for inspections and plan checks, while smaller grocers and c-stores would see fee decreases but increases for plan checks. We have asked Supervisors to deny the reformulation on the grounds that additional costs during the economic crisis will only make it more difficult for the food retail industry to add needed jobs.

We have learned that Hermosa Beach plans to introduce a long-anticipated polystyrene ban on Tuesday, May 9th and are attempting to confirm whether the city plans to create an exemption for meat containers and whether #6 polystyrene (clamshell containers) are included in the proposal. We will forward more information when it becomes available.

Educating your customers about the true facts on food expiration is critical to changing some of the urban myths that have been propagated by opponents of the grocery retail industry. In particular, some anti-grocers groups, like LAANE down here in Los Angeles, have told community groups that grocers stock “expired” products, produce and meats in under-served communities. These lies will take hold unless consumers become knowledgeable about how the varied expiration schemes actually work.