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Trader Joe's Spewing China Hatred?

By Dan Harris and Steve Dickinson

Some Facts behind Trader Joe's Trader Joes Drops China">recent decision to stop selling single ingredient Chinese foods: 1. Trader Joe's will continue stocking foods that contain Chinese ingredients. This proves Trader Joe's knows not all food from China is dangerous. 2. Trader Joe's said it will replace the goods with "products from other regions until our customers feel as confident as we do about the quality and safety of Chinese products." Some questions relating to Trader Joe's decision to stop selling single ingredient Chinese foods: 1. Will Trader Joe's customers feel better getting their food from Pakistan, Cambodia, Sri Lanka or Indonesia? Is there any reason to think countries like these have better food safety than China? 2. Would it be okay if Trader Joe's were to say it will no longer hire Chinese people until its customers feel as confident as Trader Joe's does about them? I see similarities. 3. Does Trader Joe's decision indicate it does not have a clue about food safety? I think it does. I would be thinking about boycotting Trader Joe's but I never go there anyway because the one nearest to my house has the world's worst designed parking lot, something I understand is common at that store. UPDATE: China product safety guru, Paul Midler of the China Game, just did a post applauding Trader Joe's move, saying Chinese food is not particularly safe. Paul, what about Bangledishi, Pakistani, and/or Indonesion food. Do they make you feel safer? If not, should not Trader Joe's strike those from its shelf as well?

Full post as published by China Law Blog on February 18, 2008 (boomark / email).