Good afternoon.
I'm a longtime Whole Foods shopper and I live in your headquarters city - Austin. After having read your CEO John Mackey's op ed piece in the Wall Street Journal on what he calls "ObamaCare", I am disgusted.
Mr. Mackey runs a retail company, many of whose customers I would guess to be, based on income, location, and the corporation's marketing concepts, likely to be folks who support the president and support his efforts to open access to healthcare to the estimated 50 million Americans who don't have it.
His op ed missed the boat completely on reform, and reflected the attitude and talking points of someone who is not only obviously disconnected from the customers who pay his bills, but ignorant and disdainful of many other Americans who doubtless cannot afford to shop in a Whole Foods store. Much less would they be able to pay the massive deductibles he suggests to which healthcare consumers should be subject; nor would many even HAVE access if insurance companies were not forced to offer coverage to those with potentially expensive conditions.
Though more economically fortunate, I am among this last category. I would be DEAD if the government simply presumed that insurance companies self-governed on insuring and assuring access to care for those with pre-existing and chronic conditions. My insurance company would have dropped me long ago were it not for such a government mandate that they cover me.
Whole Foods' CEO clearly has no interest in "caring for our communities" (a Whole Foods core value, supposedly); his Wall Street Journal opinion piece reflects the values of a person, and, by extension, a corporation which is not remotely interested in my money.
I have truly local options for obtaining high-quality organic foods in Austin. They truly care for our communities. I have neglected them in favor of your stores. Now that I better understand your corporate direction, I (along with many others) eagerly look forward to correcting that mistake.
Formerly yours,
ElsieElsie
As said previously, you can call Whole Foods HQ at:
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-4644
512.477.4455
512.477.5566 voicemail
512.482.7000 fax
or you can visit their customer service page to email them a comment, as I did.