Chips or a Banana, which would you choose?

MP Rahui Katene issued a press release fretting that Maori would eat cheap junk instead of quality food. She worried that a mother confronted with one banana costing the same as a big packet of potato chips would choose the chips. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10625653

The press release is really about GST on food. http://www.maoriparty.org/index.php?pag=nw&id=821&p=release-rahui-katene-take-the-gst-off-healthy-food8207.html

So with the right number of coins in you hand, no more, no less, which would you choose?

Eldest kid would choose the chips.
Middle kid would choose the chips.
Youngest kid would choose the chips.
He who earns money and has big pot belly would choose the chips.

Why?

They don't like bananas. They like chips better.

My secretary might choose the banana, but only if it was unbruised and at the correct state of ripeness (green tip, pale yellow skin). She knows, as does everyone else in the house, that the banana is the healthy choice and she is trying to lose her excess weight.

If she was really hungry or the banana slightly over ripe or too green or bruised however even she would have the chips. Like the others she likes the taste of chips better than the taste of banana too.

The result would be much the same if it was an apple rather than a banana even though they all like apples.

So if you were a shop keeper which would you stock?

The banana is delicate, easily damaged and perishable.

The chips though also delicate and fragile are packaged well so don't damage as easily and they have a much longer shelf life.

Almost all dairies, service stations, lunch bars and supermarkets sell chips. I can't recall one that doesn't.

Most supermarkets sell bananas and they are generally in good condition.

Some dairies and lunch bars sell bananas, condition however is very hit and miss.

When was the last time you saw a banana at a service station?

Weaning the population off junk food isn't as easy as making fresh healthy food GST free.