Sins vs. Science, Food under Attack
Suddenly food manufacturers and retailers are under attack. The attacks are based on both science and sin, particularly, the Seven Deadly Sins.
The seven deadly sins were initially created by a Christian Monk, Evagrius Ponticus, in the fourth century and were known as the “eight evil thoughts.” They are called deadly because they lead to the death of the soul. St Thomas Aquinas revived them in the 13th century.
My take on the two food issues is that at least three of the sins are involved, greed, gluttony, and sloth.
Price Gouging
Sin—Greed
First, the grocery industry has been charged with “gouging” consumers by jacking up the prices of food and shrinking portion sizes to rake in high profits. The result of this charge will be to use the administrative state, i.e., regulatory agencies like the FTC, USDA, DOJ, and the CFTC to rein in grocery store practices.
Science
This is premature because it is not clear that there is a market failure as higher food prices may be due to government failure. Government failures include: 1) increased oil prices due to regulations affecting farming, fishing, and the manufacturing and transportation of food; 2) increased costs associated with food theft from shoplifting due to failure to prosecute; and, 3) higher minimum wages for grocery store employees.
If there is collusion leading to monopoly, that should also be proven before government action. Proof should include the fact that lower priced competitors, think Costco, Aldi, Lidl, Sam’s Club, and Walmart, are included in the conspiracy. It would also mean that there are no barriers to entry, which is usually because of government regulations.
If government is at fault, even partially, it casts doubt on “greed.”
Under no circumstances should governments ignore economic science 101, i.e., no price ceilings.
Unhealthy Food
Sins—Greed, Gluttony, Sloth
Greed—Food companies are charged with allowing “our kids to be addicted to processed foods (and) get sick and die at an earlier age than they otherwise would.” The result will be for the Food and Drug administration to put labels on the front of packaged foods that will warn consumers about foods that contain excessive amounts of sugar, salt, or saturated fat.
Gluttony—Generally consumers are given a pass on gluttony and sloth sins through things like the fat acceptance movement which is a social movement which seeks to eliminate the social stigma of obesity. In fact, one commenter thought that weight discrimination will be included in DEI in the future. Doctors are now told not to tell people to “just lose weight.”
Sloth—People are exercising (through sports and recreation) more, although men more than women. Men have gone from 21.5% to 22.4% from 2010 to 2023 and women have gone from 15.6% to 19.9%.
Science
The FDA is getting ready to cause manufacturers to spend a lot of money on new labels warning us about salt, fat, and sugar—key villains in unhealthy food. This in turn will cost consumers more for food (see above). Here are some relevant facts:
1. Saturated fat intake has gone down; it was 12.8 percent of the diet in 1988, now down to 11.8 percent in 2018.
2. Sugar consumption has gone down from 88 grams/person/day in 1980 to 68 grams/person/day today.
3. Salt consumption has remained relatively constant from a 1994-1998 survey to a 2007-2008 survey.
4. Calorie consumption has increased from 2,880 calories per day in 1961 to 3,864 calories per day today, an increase of 34 percent.
5. American men went from 166 pounds to 200 pounds and women went from 140 pounds to 171 pounds from 1960 to today. That is a 20% increase for men and a 28% percent increase for women.
Although consumption of saturated fat, sugar, and salt have been decreasing, they may still be too high and should be reduced. But we are heavier because we are eating much more.
Let’s not forget, “Let He Who Is without Sin” from Star Trek (DS9’s S5 E& 7) and the rest of it, “He that is without sin among you, let him cast a stone at her” (Jesus in John 8:7-11 King James Version).