Healthy Communities Require Choice, Not Its Elimination
The Perris City Council is continuing to work on Ordinance 1423, which seeks to severely restrict what foods and beverages grocers can sell in store checkout areas. It’s a misguided strategy that is unfriendly to businesses and places little faith in Perris residents by dictating a set of “healthy” product choices to the city’s grocery shoppers as defined by politicians. In some cases, literally whole fruit and vegetable products would be forbidden.
Whether shopping for healthy ingredients for a home-cooked meal or simply looking for a treat at the end of a long day, the “when” or “why” shoppers decide what goes into their shopping carts is not for Perris elected officials to dictate.
Grocers support the Perris elected officials who are seeking healthier lifestyles for their community residents, but we also believe nearly every resident would agree that consumer choice and moderation are key components of health. For this reason, the city’s grocery community has urged the City Council to implement Ordinance 1423 in a way that allows consumers to have easy access to a broad mix of product choices in the checkout area of their local grocery store.
We trust in the people of Perris to choose what’s best for them and their families. From the mom-and-pop grocer to the supermarket, grocery stores provide access to healthy food in every community. We take that job seriously and hope the grocery industry can continue to serve Perris residents’ every occasion.
For more information on Ordinance 1423, read the Association’s letter to Mayor Michael Vargas below. To contact the Mayor’s office regarding this matter, call (951) 943-6100, or email at [email protected].