Dear Editor,
Deceit, in any form, is plain wrong, but when the sham involves a vital component of our national dish, the pain is aggravated.
This popular supermarket in Liguanea strategically placed a nice piece of salt fish as a blanket over two of the most titanic tails I have ever seen, along with a gigantic ear! They Saran-wrapped it very tightly and deceived me into thinking that the near full weight was within expectation and would perhaps only include one tail. I am trying to be fair to the retailers; I did not purchase salt fish steak, so one little tail would be within the norm.
It is my understanding that cod tails are brought into Jamaica in bulk. In some places the tails are considered a waste of the production process, so they get it real dirt cheap then turn around and sell it as part of the real deal. This is really great for profit margins!
It is bad enough that we have to accept that the fish is born with a tail, but we do. One piece of tail is fine. But to conceal two tails and one ear underneath a nice piece of salt fish torso is cruel and draws attention to this high underhandedness. They make a mint on this scam — and scam is what it is — when you teach wrappers to deliberately and tactically hide the tails.
This supermarket is not alone in trying to scam consumers, and it is certainly not a new trick. How will I explain this to Mr Cabbage or Miss Ackee?
Sandra M Taylor Wiggan
sandra_wiggan@yahoo.co.uk
Deceit, in any form, is plain wrong, but when the sham involves a vital component of our national dish, the pain is aggravated.
This popular supermarket in Liguanea strategically placed a nice piece of salt fish as a blanket over two of the most titanic tails I have ever seen, along with a gigantic ear! They Saran-wrapped it very tightly and deceived me into thinking that the near full weight was within expectation and would perhaps only include one tail. I am trying to be fair to the retailers; I did not purchase salt fish steak, so one little tail would be within the norm.
It is my understanding that cod tails are brought into Jamaica in bulk. In some places the tails are considered a waste of the production process, so they get it real dirt cheap then turn around and sell it as part of the real deal. This is really great for profit margins!
It is bad enough that we have to accept that the fish is born with a tail, but we do. One piece of tail is fine. But to conceal two tails and one ear underneath a nice piece of salt fish torso is cruel and draws attention to this high underhandedness. They make a mint on this scam — and scam is what it is — when you teach wrappers to deliberately and tactically hide the tails.
This supermarket is not alone in trying to scam consumers, and it is certainly not a new trick. How will I explain this to Mr Cabbage or Miss Ackee?
Sandra M Taylor Wiggan
sandra_wiggan@yahoo.co.uk