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Federico on Striking against drug sales To comment on any posting, click on the word 'Comments' at the end of the item. |
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« Forza Italia! | Main | A walk in the park » July 29, 2006Striking against drug salesThis past week, pharmacists have been closing shop and organizing demonstrations against the Italian government's plans to allow supermarkets to sell non-prescription drugs. (Click for article) One of the charming and considerably old-fashioned aspects of Italy is that there are specialized stores for certain products. For example, I buy my meat from Simone at the macelleria (butcher). My vegetables come from the feisty elderly woman at the outdoor market and the best fruit comes from the young guy at the fruit stand a block from my house (though it kind of creeps me out how he's always winking at me). High quality shoes come from the calzature. Hardware from the ferramenta. Notebooks and birthday cards can only be found at the cartoleria. And, of course, there’s nothing better than a trip to the pasticceria (sweet bakery) which is right next door to the forno (meaning “oven” …a place to buy your fresh bread pizza!). For me, the supermercato is merely my in-case-of-emergency destination. As of now, your basic painkillers and cough medicine can be found only in one of these specialized stores, the farmacia. In Rome, you can find a farmacia as easily as you could find a Starbucks in Manhattan. The Italian government, however, is looking at the smaller town and rural areas. In these locations, pharmacies are fewer and farther between…and they close on weekends and at lunchtime. For the well-being of the people in these locations, the government wants to place non-prescription drugs on the shelves of all supermarkets. Pharmacists are protesting this plan. Not only do they want to lose business, but are afraid that the Italian people will be lured into buying unnecessary drugs on their way from the produce section to frozen goods. Other thoughts on the plan concern the “Wal-Martization” of Italy. First the painkillers, then what? A whole store open 24-7 that sells everything you could possibly ever need? Posted by Kelsea CommentsWal- Martization... My english is not fluent and I beg excuses. Fede Posted by: Federico at September 16, 2006 6:56 PM |
Kelsea Brennan-Wessels is a sophomore at The American University of Rome |
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Comments
Wal- Martization...
Hmm, wal- martization is typical of a long distance country where big trade centers and department stores are essential.
Italy is the country of specialized business and stores, a result of ancient confraternities and guilds that regulated trades and productions.
Retailers or artisans brought his own wares and products to the market place following rules of guilds, deregulating trades and commerce was quite difficult.
About farmacie you say that "The Italian government, however, is looking at the smaller town and rural areas. In these locations, pharmacies are fewer and farther between…and they close on weekends and at lunchtime. For the well-being of the people in these locations, the government wants to place non-prescription drugs on the shelves of all supermarkets", I don't think so: smaller towns and rural areas have farmacie (you have to know that farmacie are diffuse all over the country: 1 every 3000 people, by law every farmacia has a territorial district, besides there are hospitals when farmacie are not open).
The reasons of protests are that farmacisti lose business (now they have monopoly and drugs prices are quite high), government favours ipermarkets for selling farmaci da banco (no- prescription grugs) probably cheaper price, but, and it's wrong, doesn't allow and deregulate new farmacie opening (have you seen that there is not farmacia close to farmacia like any other store or shop? This reminds the story above about guilds and law on farmacie territorial diffusion)
My english is not fluent and I beg excuses.
Ciao
Fede
Posted by: Federico | September 16, 2006 6:56 PM