© 2007 Institute of Current World Affairs
The Institute awards long-term fellowships to develop a deep understanding of an issue, country, or region outside the US and to share that understanding with a wider public.
Institute of Current World Affairs - Home Page

Below is a hobbled text version of a PDF document.
In order to read the actual document please click the link below and register if necessary.
(One-time registration is free and very quick.)
Read article

4/12/1973 - A Week Without Meat by Richard J. Balzer

NOT FOR PUBLICATION WITHOUT WRITERS CONSENT INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS RJB Broadway Lot A Week Withomt Meat Sagms Mass 01906 April Mr Richard H Nolte Institmte Cmrrent World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York 10017 Dear Mr Nolte Like neighbors millions other Americans witheut The decisien boycott difficult We little indecision abeut joining beycott Virginia Knamer President advisor consumer affairs appeared TV shepping lists buying publlc question should participate boycott We papers listened debate boycott sheuld whether sheuld restricted include chicken Eileen abstract would probably considered political I stronger abeut boycett I I willing Join satisfied Just boycotting Eileen adamant sheId Join sheuld boycott chicken because their prices getting We talked about Eileen persisted position finally cenvinced We agreed spend withemt On Saturday shopping There people neighbors predicted stocking wouldn dring boycett struck number carts without It usual forty minutes The thing wanted couldn eggplant Eileen included planned meals dishes called eggplant ratatouille eggplant casserole We ended groceries cartons That brought immediate smile faces We gotten getting I Just become beoster Althogh boycott officially beginning Monday decided begin Saturday night Ideelegical reasens because accepted dinner invltatlen follewing Sat urday night nearly month befere If bests serving couldn I admit I looking ferward began It I thought I It I crazy vegetables The plain truth I dislike cooked vegetables Over years Eileen dented vegetable neurosis I still beets cooked carrots spinach cauliflower broccoll brussels sprouts squash beans cabbage turnips The quickly Eileen planning meals would proteln enjoyable Our lunch dinner menus fellow I breakfasts because neither Eileen I breakfast eaters Her breakfast usually consists Juice ceffee I usually start cereal Satuday dinner Eggs Valenciana cheese bananas raisins Salad Snday lunch bagels cream cheese inner asparagus swiss cheese casserole Monday grapefruit salad tomato qmlche salad Tuesday lunch leftover quiche Inner mshroom crepes ccmber Salad Wednesday lunch leftover crepes salad dinner spagetti greenbeans Thursday lunch cheese tomato sandwichs lettuce salad cheese blintzes mixed vegetables Friday avacado salad gazpacho mushroom quiche zccini casserole salad Saturday lunch cheese sandwiches On Saturday night friend expecting first It trned friends boycotting delicious meatless which however include It Actually found missed expected We little longer prepare meatless meals meals especially calories cholesterol control Another thing discovered meatless avail yourselves quick lunches McDonalds Bmrger King We boycott planners decide terms continuing protest Right decided quite meatlesS flshless fowless Of reactions boycott I found teresting chains I overdraw parallel reminded companies reactions public outcry spills The companies remember quick release commercials which assmred public intentionally llmting anything public wanted pollted world Well almost qickly boycott began grocery stores started indicating their advertisements favor boycott objectives consmer wanted lower prlces They offered their cstomers meatless specials addition their specials Most stores outflanked their identification boycotters Leo Kahn president Purity Supreme store chain Through active TV newspaper campaign Mr Kahn announced stores would carry Monday because RJB wanted share protest boycotters Most other stores reacted explaining carrying A typical explaination offered Stop Shop weekly advertisement which We paying meats We serve almost million customers mists We every reasons But seems range theykeep omingbacktoStOp Shop tionisasubstaritialincreaseinthe dedication policy production prices quality foods That policy Wefeel Customers right endangered historic prices choose whatever wholesale levels force their families For reason crease retail prices though continue offer doing those increases reflected entire wholesale increase costs policy So welcome effective action specials keeping Our whichWillreducethecostofmeatin regularpricesaslowaswecanunder nation markets We honestly current market conditions knowwhat meatboycott Until production catch accomplish Neither econo demand believe course follow responsible retailers By Thursday large chain stores except Star Market running specials offering better prices weeks These specials tempting least Even Leo Kahn Meatless Monday selling adver tisement following indicates special prices The exception I mentioned Star Market which advertisement which contain major special Its advertisement focussed specials Vegetables chlcken It offered assortment menus meatless dishes Eggplant Parmigiana Baked Brussels Sprouts Potato Stuffed Bluefish Baked Snapper Broiled Haddock Fillets All I found behavior grocery stores fascinating It struck extraordinary grocery chains profit making enterprises sought advertise themselves innocent bystanders entire process price increases More spoke supporting objectives boycotters offering specials asesn OW Somu C Leo Kahn presidentd PuritySupreme Asmanydyou Mondaywas Meatless Mondayat thirty Purity Supremestores Itwasa protestonmypart againstthe risingcost likeanyprotest itprobablyin convenienced people For apologize itwasa valid protest Becausethe waywe regoingto drive pricesdown istostopbuyingso Yourresponsewasgenerally favorable wanttothankall ourcustomers helping makethis protestadramaticdem onstration ofour dissatisfaction Freshmeatisbackinourcases still encourage customerstobuylessof We gotthe lowest pricesaround thebestmeatyoucan please tbuyso Use ourfree meatless recipes takeadvantage ofthisweek specials protein substitutesat PuritySupreme stores Plan having meatless mealseveryweek wecan tstart controllingthe pricesweallhavetopayformeal I called Joel Miller United Beef thoughts future prices United force I00 people relatively small relation industry giants still carries multl milli0n dollar bmslness Joel mixed feelings about boycott He Sucre I think terrific people could together I really think hIped themselves If anything helped prices By boycott began prices beginning start But combination boycott price ceiling entirely disrupted whole business falling prices ceiling levels It thrown thousands workers related businesses It industry millions dollars really nothing consumer We which profit Everyone selling ceiling For profit certain price simply We paying selling forless I llgiveyouanexample webuythewholecalfandtoday cents pound whereas Just weeks paying cents pound Now break maybe different Now I problems having couple A couple weeks selling round pound For bottom round getting Well business which money weight because profit margin There profit We cattle prices price where still money If about workers Which But alone All packers feeling squeeze slaughter houses The slaughter houses enough price profit laying people I tough The problem there shortage heavy cattle there abundance light cattle The farmers feeders light market there Just enough heavy available I breaks because doesn there going serious shortage couple months It possible could almost black market situation there enough around people demand ceiling prlces The range something If thing could happen would people change their eating habits If people little amount supply price would better Another thing figure induce farmers feeders raise RJB But these complicated issues though boycott probably emotional drain anything things confused Received New York April