I'm not involved in the Occupy Wall St. movement or sit-in or am I particularly well-informed about it. I believe it is in part about corporate greed. A very clear picture of corporate greed was painted for me the other day. I was parked at Cape Ann Market on an optical errand. Since I knew my next meal involved raisins and I had none, I decided to purchase some at Shaws. Confession time: I stopped shopping there years ago when Market Basket came to town, which allows us to save approximately 10% consistently over the two other local, large grocery chain stores.  There were two raisin sizes available and I grabbed the one closest to the size I usually purchase, which was the smaller size, however quite average.

It was 15 oz. for $3.79.  I had the cashier scan to double-check the price, since I thought I had purchased it at Market Basket for $2.59. Since it was significantly more expensive, I decided to not purchase and instead, swing into Market Basket on my way home. I scurried to Market Basket and grabbed the smallest size on their shelf. It was 24 oz..  The price? $2.99.  

OK so maybe I'm a tightwad or a skinflint, but this is a pretty average grocery item. It isn't  seasonal, like produce or fish. Nor is it necessary to import from a "rare source".  Nor was I comparing a grocery price to a discount chain price like Cosco or Best Buy.  I think it is pure and simple, corporate greed of the every day garden variety.  There was a 100% markup for the same product (slightly different size) at one store vs. another.  Market Basket Raisins (24 oz. size) were 12.45 cents per oz. and at Shaws (15 oz. size) they were 25.26 cents per oz.. A 100% mark up on raisins?  Come on.....So once again in deference to the saying, "think global, act local, I don't have to occupy Wall St. to protest corporate greed, I'll just shop at Market Basket!