Lansdowne Farmers Market [General]
2009 Nov 4
To quote Sourdough "I don't know - I think they should charge what the market will bare. If people are willing to fork out $5/head for garlic - good for them. A competition bureau investigation seems like a good excuse for bureaucracy - nothing more. If I like something and I think its worthwhile buying it, I will. If its too expensive I'll find it elsewhere. Who says the farmer's market should be affordable? I wish it were, but if its not I'll have to look elsewhere. Its the vendors job to sell their product, its not their job to ensure people are able to buy local, organic/sustainable product."
My reply
Charging what the market can bear is not what the competition bureau is investigating. They are investigating price fixing. The two are completely different things altogether. From what was reported before it does sound to me like there is price fixing going on here.
My reply
Charging what the market can bear is not what the competition bureau is investigating. They are investigating price fixing. The two are completely different things altogether. From what was reported before it does sound to me like there is price fixing going on here.
2009 Nov 4
I agree with zym that a competition bureau is an essential (and ironic) necessity in any capitalist system. However, I'd be curious to know how many people that shop at farmers' markets actually base their purchases on the quality of goods. I would suggest that most purchases are pretty random or based on factors entirely divorced from the actual produce. In that case, someone undercutting prices quickly makes a farmers' market a money losing proposition for most producers.
2009 Nov 4
Interesting discussion...
I'd like to add a few points.
As of now there has been no investigation by the Competition Bureau, the facts are that a letter was sent stating that IF the claims made by the Ottawa Citizen article were TRUE, then they "could be" seen as price fixing... BUT that would only come about after the new laws come into effect in March 2010. The letter was just a "heads-up" more than anything else.
In some circles now Ron Eade is being painted as the "bad guy" which is beyond me... he just printed what he saw and heard... heck in the timeframe that he wrote that article, those same words were being bandied about here on the OF Forum... "Why oh why is the Lansdowne Market so much more expensive... Why are things like _____ costing _____ when I can get the same item from the same Vendor at a different Market at a lower price etc."
At the time of Ron's article, we were all praising him for putting into print what we were already saying amongst ourselves (mind you BEFORE the article, I don't think anyone of us talked about the possibility that the Farmers were discussing and setting prices together)... He unearthed that thru open conversation with a Vendor(s). Go back and read the original article it is all there.
Sourdough - Couldn't agree more... Consumers will make up their own minds on what it is they can and cannot afford, and how they wish to divy up their grocery money... If local products are important to me, and I'm willing to pay more for that well and good.
Brian Mc - Brings up a good point... I do think that a lot of people, just visit a Farmers' Market as a "Weekend Outing" not necessarily as a regular spot to food shop... so they are browsing and perhaps will buy a couple of things. I again think they make decisions based on their personal food budget and not so much on Quality or where the Item comes from.
Lets face it the majority of the food purchasers in the Ottawa area are not as food knowledgeable or market savvy as OF Members (our Hobby / Interest IS Food). Most folks will look at the Garlic at $ 1 (or more) and think, "Gee I can get Garlic at Loblaws 3 for $ 1, and they are bigger heads"... They are NOT going to see the Garlic and think "Wow great Local Garlic, it doesn't come from China (who's food practices have been Questionable the last few years) and I am supporting an Ottawa Valley Farmer to boot."
Will all this new info have "consequences"... you bet. Either we will see better pricing for 2010 (although I'm still guessing it will be fairly similar), or the Market will disappear altogether. As mentioned someone coming in and drasically price slashing will quickly make it a non-winning venture for most local Farmers (for all the reasons we've mentioned elsewhere on OF this past Summer season in regards to why local Farmers' Markets are more expensive than buying at the Grocery Store).
I'd like to add a few points.
As of now there has been no investigation by the Competition Bureau, the facts are that a letter was sent stating that IF the claims made by the Ottawa Citizen article were TRUE, then they "could be" seen as price fixing... BUT that would only come about after the new laws come into effect in March 2010. The letter was just a "heads-up" more than anything else.
In some circles now Ron Eade is being painted as the "bad guy" which is beyond me... he just printed what he saw and heard... heck in the timeframe that he wrote that article, those same words were being bandied about here on the OF Forum... "Why oh why is the Lansdowne Market so much more expensive... Why are things like _____ costing _____ when I can get the same item from the same Vendor at a different Market at a lower price etc."
At the time of Ron's article, we were all praising him for putting into print what we were already saying amongst ourselves (mind you BEFORE the article, I don't think anyone of us talked about the possibility that the Farmers were discussing and setting prices together)... He unearthed that thru open conversation with a Vendor(s). Go back and read the original article it is all there.
Sourdough - Couldn't agree more... Consumers will make up their own minds on what it is they can and cannot afford, and how they wish to divy up their grocery money... If local products are important to me, and I'm willing to pay more for that well and good.
Brian Mc - Brings up a good point... I do think that a lot of people, just visit a Farmers' Market as a "Weekend Outing" not necessarily as a regular spot to food shop... so they are browsing and perhaps will buy a couple of things. I again think they make decisions based on their personal food budget and not so much on Quality or where the Item comes from.
Lets face it the majority of the food purchasers in the Ottawa area are not as food knowledgeable or market savvy as OF Members (our Hobby / Interest IS Food). Most folks will look at the Garlic at $ 1 (or more) and think, "Gee I can get Garlic at Loblaws 3 for $ 1, and they are bigger heads"... They are NOT going to see the Garlic and think "Wow great Local Garlic, it doesn't come from China (who's food practices have been Questionable the last few years) and I am supporting an Ottawa Valley Farmer to boot."
Will all this new info have "consequences"... you bet. Either we will see better pricing for 2010 (although I'm still guessing it will be fairly similar), or the Market will disappear altogether. As mentioned someone coming in and drasically price slashing will quickly make it a non-winning venture for most local Farmers (for all the reasons we've mentioned elsewhere on OF this past Summer season in regards to why local Farmers' Markets are more expensive than buying at the Grocery Store).
2009 Nov 4
Agreed with Food&Think’s comments. Zymurgist posted some info on Parkdale Market products last fall, comparisons were made to Lansdowne Farmers Market, then their pricing was being questioned. I posted the link to Ron’s blog because it fit in with our conversation then watched with interest how our views are taking a 180 degree turn.
As for my own viewpoints I am the first to admit that I know little about market economics, price fixing, and the Competition Bureau. However I do know that the Lansdowne Farmers market is independently run (as opposed to the Parkdale and Byward markets which are city run) so they pay the going rate on rent at Lansdowne which is prime real estate.
As for purchasing habits I am all in favour of supporting local business. Even if the farmers market moves away from Lansdowne I will follow them wherever they go. However I still think Canadian shoppers tend shop for volume – why would they fork out $4 for a little basket of onions when then can get a 10 lb. bag at the supermarket for $1.99? How much food do we really “need”?
As for my own viewpoints I am the first to admit that I know little about market economics, price fixing, and the Competition Bureau. However I do know that the Lansdowne Farmers market is independently run (as opposed to the Parkdale and Byward markets which are city run) so they pay the going rate on rent at Lansdowne which is prime real estate.
As for purchasing habits I am all in favour of supporting local business. Even if the farmers market moves away from Lansdowne I will follow them wherever they go. However I still think Canadian shoppers tend shop for volume – why would they fork out $4 for a little basket of onions when then can get a 10 lb. bag at the supermarket for $1.99? How much food do we really “need”?
Pasta lover