UFCW Local 400 and Its Members Employed at Kroger Welcome Girl Scout Cookie Sales

Response to Ahold/Martin's Ban on Girl Scout Sales

Union to Buy First 100 Boxes

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 and its members employed at Kroger are inviting Girl Scouts to sell cookies in front of Kroger's Virginia stores in the wake of Ahold/Martin's decision to end Ukrop's tradition of holding Girl Scout cookie sales at their stores in Richmond, Va.

Upon learning of Ahold/Martin's reversal of Ukrop's policy, as well as its longtime prohibition on Girl Scout cookie sales in its other Virginia stores, UFCW Local 400 officials and members agreed to welcome the Girl Scouts with open arms. They also committed to buying the first 100 boxes of cookies at a Kroger location in Virginia where Girl Scouts conduct sales.

"The Girl Scouts are a great American institution and buying Girl Scout cookies is a treasured tradition," said Local 400 President Jim Lowthers. "It's a great product and it supports a great cause — building girls of courage, confidence, and character.

"Unfortunately, just as Girl Scouts outside Richmond have long known, Ahold/Martin's doesn't believe in supporting this outstanding community-based organization," Lowthers said. "So when Richmond Girl Scouts discovered at the last minute that they were no longer welcome at the former Ukrop's stores, Local 400 knew we could help fill the void. Kroger works with the Girl Scouts and they have great locations for sidewalk sales. Girl Scout troop leaders who have been displaced can contact their local Kroger store manager."

"I'm especially pleased that Local 400 will purchase the first 100 boxes of cookies at a Kroger store, because we believe in supporting the communities where our members work and live," said Local 400 Secretary/Treasurer Tom McNutt.

Ahold/Martin's purchased the locally-owned Ukrop's earlier this month and the ban on Girl Scout cookie sales was among its first policy changes. Martin's parent company, Royal Ahold NV, is based in the Netherlands. "This really highlights the difference between a community-oriented, family-owned business and a multinational corporation where foreign executives call the shots with no knowledge of local traditions," McNutt said. "Customers can decide whether to spend their hard-earned food dollars on a company that's only interested in making a profit and one that believes in supporting its communities and the people it serves."

UFCW Local 400 represents 37,000 members working in the retail food, retail, health care, food processing, service and other industries in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia, West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee and Kentucky.

SOURCE UFCW Local 400