Sir , – A walk through the special offers aisle of my local supermarket was an educational experience.
In the weeks leading up to Christmas, the shelves were full of crisps, soft drinks, sweets, biscuits, boxes of chocolates, selection boxes, etc.
Now it’s protein and fibre bars, granola, soups and vitamin pills as far as the eye could see.
A few weeks of encouraging overindulgence and then, once the fairy lights have stopped twinkling, a rapid pivot to monetising the resulting guilt, anxiety and good intentions.
The retailer will no doubt argue that they are in business to make a profit and are only giving customers what they want. Others will argue that people should make better decisions and that nobody is forced to buy anything. These are both valid points.
But I find the endless cycle dispiriting and cynical.
Still, give it a week or two and the same shelves will be groaning with giant hollow chocolate eggs , in celebration of an event pencilled in for April 9th. – Yours, etc,
PAUL McLOUGHLIN,
Kildare.