Supervalu "Kids in Action" Scheme is "worthless"
Supervalu has admitted that its vouchers for the Kids in Action programme are worthless.
The recently launched Supervalu 'Kids in Action' voucher scheme claims to provide schools with free sports equipment. This is a fallacy. Simple maths will explain: in order for a school to claim a 'free' gymnastics mat that retails at about €280, customers will have to spend €32,840 in Supervalu (i.e. 3,240 vouchers at €10 each); in order for a school to claim a 'free' basketball (that you could buy for around €10) customers will be asked to add €1,570 to Supervalu's bank account, and so on. (Source: 2009 Supervalu's 'Kids in Action' Catalogue, available at supervalukidsinaction.com)
Supervalu? No, worthless
What a scheme like this actually does is allow an under-funded education system to continue to be under-funded by allowing the government to continue to abdicate its responsibilities in this area. The line seems to be: if Supervalu are willing to provide sports equipment, why not let them? The same is true of other voucher schemes such as Tesco's 'Computers for Schools' scheme, which claims to give free IT equipment to schools. Could you imagine the uproar if Supervalu et al decided to run a 'Medical Equipment for Hospitals' voucher scheme? Or, 'Non-Lethal Weapons for the Gardaí' voucher scheme?
The only free thing that comes out of this scheme is free advertising for the supermarkets. Looking at the terms and conditions, however, of this scheme we can see something very telling: Condition 8: "The nominal cash value of each Supervalu Kids in Action voucher is €0.001". The subtext here being that the vouchers are worthless (especially when you look at Condition 19: "Vouchers are not redeemable for cash"). Indeed.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation has called on its 34,000 members to 'reject [these campaigns] by sending the vouchers back or by putting them in the recycle bin". Indeed, this is advice that every right thinking parent ought to consider (whilst also writing to Supervalu to let them know that we are not going to allow our education system to be co-opted by private enterprise).
If you'd like to do something about this contact someone who can effect change in this matter.
Village Magazine and Wicklow Times
Here's an article in February's Village Magazine about the above.
Here's an article in February's Wicklow Times about the above.
A Correction
I've had a look at the catalogue and my figures are correct. If you go to page 42 of the catalogue for the Schools Catalogue you will see that an Alpine Gymnastics Bench needs 3,284V (ie 3,284 vouchers) and if you multiply this by €10 per voucher, the spend needed for such a bench is €32,840. I had likened that price to a Gym Mat for €280 euro, but it turns out I was being very generous to Supervalu: an Alpine Gymnastics Bench retails for £158.63.
Sources:
Alpine Bench: http://www.podium4sport.com/online-shop/cat/386/id/1330...ch-2m
Supervalu Catalogue: http://www.supervalukidsinaction.com/_Documents/School/...2.jpg
With this in mind, the introductory paragraph should read:
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The recently launched Supervalu 'Kids in Action' voucher scheme claims to provide schools with free sports equipment. This is a fallacy. Simple maths will explain: in order for a school to claim a 'free' gymnastics bench that retails for £160.00, customers will have to spend €32,840 in Supervalu ((i.e. 3,240 vouchers at €10 each) Source: Supervalu Kids in Action Schools Catalogue, pg. 42 and www.podium4sport.com); in order for a school to claim a 'free' basketball (that you could buy for around €10) customers will be asked to add €1,570 to Supervalu's bank account, and so on. (Source: 2009 Supervalu's 'Kids in Action' Catalogue, available at supervalukidsinaction.com)
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Underfunded Education
This is really sad. We have this problem as well in my home country, the education system is not funded so only about 30% of the population recieves education and even less of that can read and wright. Totally sad situation.
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