The Whole Foods Fight Over Health Care

nytimes.com:

Of all the sideshows to the Great 2009 Health Care Debate, the Whole Foods boycott may take the prize as the most unexpected.

Last Wednesday, John Mackey, the chief executive of Whole Foods, took to the pages of The Wall Street Journal to opine that "we clearly need health care reform," but arguing against the solutions being put forward by the administration: "The last thing our country needs is a massive new health care entitlement that will create hundreds of billions of dollars of new unfunded deficits and move us much closer to a government takeover of our health care system."

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[vivadada]

10:50 PM on 09/01/2009

I would not ever shop at Walmart, now I will not ever shop at Whole Foods.

[dmonte]

07:48 PM on 09/01/2009

The thunderstorm of negative publicity and core customer blowback that Mackey created by his WSJ op-ed have damaged his 'brand' beyond anything yet realized by the stockholders. Aside from the healthcare debate, he has opened a can of non-organic worms that have allowed negative stories about Whole Foods' greenwashing and foul business practices to surface and gain a foothold.

"Whole Foods Took Advantage of Our Family Cattle Ranch"

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=119099537379&topic=11627

Stories like this -and there are many - have staying power and will add to the negative perception of the Whole Foods brand in the public eye. Good job, Mackey.

[smanion]

07:44 PM on 08/19/2009

More talk on the street that there is a (poorly) organized movement to shore up Whole Foods stock (WFMI). The pros still say it can't possibly hold. Experts think the bottom will drop out right at the end of this after hours session (in about 15 minutes) or at the beginning of tomorrows pre-market trading session, and then drift lower still during the day. So far there has been no trading in the stock during the after market session. Very very odd. It's like everyone is holding there breath ready to dump as soon as someone else does and they see the down-tic. A lot of people who think they are helping Mr. Mackey are about to be badly burned. Perhaps not just monetarily. Maybe they don't realize that, even done for political rather than monetary purposes, organized stock manipulation is still a felony.

[macbabe]

05:11 AM on 08/22/2009

you can pump and dump a stock ALL you want... BUT let's wait until the next quarterly earnings come out and see if we get the message across ...

[Mysticalsister]

06:21 PM on 08/19/2009

they just lost my families business. I wonder how many people will have to boycott before they fire Mackey?

[smanion]

02:45 PM on 08/19/2009

This was a very counterproductive thing for a CEO to do. Controversy is all downside. It is anger that drives action; in this case a surprisingly swiftly organized and effective boycott. The demographics of his customers make it worse. Bean sprouts and liberalism go together like ants and picnics. His angry customers will just go to another health food store hurting Whole foods while helping the competition. Bye Bye Market share. As CEO his first responsibility is to the stockholders, not his own ego. He just screwed the stockholders. I not only dumped my stock I'm selling short. No political consideration, just making the best of his mistake. His lemons. My lemonade. Organic lemonade in this particular case. Word on the street reports an organized movement to shore up the stock. Professional opinion on the street is it can't possibly hold. A lot of people who think they are helping Mr. Mackey are about to be badly burned. Perhaps not just monetarily. I wonder if these folks realize that, even done for political purposes rather than avarice, organized stock manipulation is still a felony.

[vinnieboiblue]

07:26 PM on 08/18/2009

When will people wake up an notice, if health care costs are not contained , eventually it will have a "dominoe effect". The CEO of "Whole Foods" must realize, healthy diets an low costs of healthcare, surely go hand in hand, but, also realize healthy foods are not cheap. People buy what they can afford. We already have a brand of elite health care, for politicians, who take money from lobbyists. We have a brand of Socialism policies in Social Security benefits, which are being abused by some illegal aliens. What we need is, Equal Health Care for one an all, based on citizenship an been here legally. Anyone who has not registered as an alien, should be forced to pay out of pocket, at a base flat rate, providing they have a job, an pay alien taxes.

[mavissue]

07:11 PM on 08/18/2009

I stopped shopping at Whole Foods as well it has soid out to a less healthy selection of labels and higher prices. I can take the time to get healthy selections by reading labels at the shop rite or wegman's and spend much less........Mackey is not concerned with the Greater Good he is concerned that he may have to pay more taxes on his Super earnings

[verticallychallenged]

06:54 PM on 08/18/2009

I've been considering boycotting my (fairly) local WF after I learned that the CEO is anti-union. He's just given me one more reason to support my local health food store and farm stands, as well as doing my part to improve the organic foods offered by my local grocery stores, rather than WF.

[itsme23]

06:54 PM on 08/18/2009

Let them know how you feel! Boycott is not foolish!! Remember, one voice can make a difference and that voice can be yours!

Whole Foods U.S. National Offices
Offices
World Headquarters

Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4644
512.477.4455
512.477.5566 voicemail
512.482.7000 fax

[GunneraGirl]

06:53 PM on 08/18/2009

Yup. Count me in. No more WF for me.

[carpintero]

06:52 PM on 08/18/2009

No more Whole foods, add me to the list.

[cubs325]

07:07 PM on 08/18/2009

he is free to express his opinions and i am free to voice my opinion with my choices and where i spend my dollars -

[suec03]

06:48 PM on 08/18/2009

While you are boycotting Whole Foods because of Mr. Mackey's support for the conservative talking points on health care reform, consider Wild Oats, Henry's or Sprouts. Although Whole Foods bought Wild Oats in August 2007 and converted some Wild Oats stores to "Whole Foods," it sold Henry's Markets to Smart & Final in October 2007, so Henry's is not part of Whole Foods. Sprouts, started by the family of the original "Henry" of Henry's Markets has recently expanded into California with new locations in Riverside and Brea. I have seen some Wild Oats branded products at Henry's and a Google search for Wild Oats takes you to a Henry's Market URL, so perhaps Whole Foods did not acquire or sold off the rights to the Wild Oats name after the 2007 purchase of the Wild Oats locations. Does anyone have information about corporate responsibility or health care stances of today's Wild Oats, Henry's, Sprouts or Smart & Final?

[noneIn2008]

06:45 PM on 08/18/2009

We need to stop these radicals from openly expressing their opinions. "Liberals" and "conservatives" are only allowed to read the talking points sent to them by the DNC and RNC respectively. We can not allow divergent views as they might disrupt the other lemmings.

[verticallychallenged]

06:56 PM on 08/18/2009

Are you being sarcastic, or would it help to be reminded of the concept of free speech? Seriously, I can't tell from what you wrote.

[noneIn2008]

07:06 PM on 08/18/2009

Unfortunately I like sarcasm resulting in often confusing statements meant to expose the hypocrisy of others. What scares me more is when people agree with things like my above statement on stopping freedom of expression. However, the thesis of the article is to stop freedom of expression (when it does not agree with the author) prompting my sarcasm. Thank you for reading and asking.

[Beckinspate]

06:43 PM on 08/18/2009

Of course I stopped shopping there---and received an e-mail informing me that this was a mistake via WSJ and they are in favor of reform.....

[UsofA]

06:38 PM on 08/18/2009

There was a man standing in front of Whole Foods today, presumably with their blessing, handing out pamphlets against Obama's socialized health plan. It seemed incongruous that a store founded on healthy food and lifestyle, would willingly dispense such negative, false energy at their front door. I can only attribute it to their CEO, Mackey: a vocal opponent, and contributor to Rupert Murdoch's, Wall Street Journal. I'll no longer shop at Whole Foods. A small gesture, until others join me.

[itsme23]

06:54 PM on 08/18/2009

U.S. National Offices
Offices
World Headquarters

Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4644
512.477.4455
512.477.5566 voicemail
512.482.7000 fax