‘I WENT FRANCHISE-FREE FOR A MONTH’

Shea Karssing stopped buying from chain stores for a month; here’s what she found…

Buy local and grow the economy! Support the small guys and create jobs! Invest in your community! Yes, we know. I’m all for the bunny-hugging, preservative-hating, glutenavoiding (okay, maybe not that part) way of life. But ‘all for’ doesn’t necessarily mean all lentils, no bacon. Still, I decided to give this ‘buy local’ thing a try. I dutifully packed away my ClubCard, Smart Shopper card, Rewards cards, Thank-U card… the list goes on. My wallet by now significantly lighter, my stomach already craving Woolies 100 percent rye bread, I embarked on my challenge to boycott franchise stores for an entire month.

Now I’m no economist, so

I can’t account for any profound impact my challenge may have had on the local community, but I can tell you about the effect buying local for a month had on my own life. Here are the 10 things I learnt when I gave up shopping at franchises.

1. BUYING FOOD IS THE EASY PART

On Day One I ordered my local Veg Box (thevegboxcompany.co.za) – fresh veggies from nearby farms, free from chemicals and growth stimulants; free-range eggs; and hormone-free meat – which was delivered to a (non-franchise) bakery near my house. Easy as that!

2. THE TRICKS OF THE TRADE

Bartering isn’t only for hippie communes and hustlers. A while later, as I sat on my self-righteous throne, I realised we were running dangerously low on toilet paper. Then I remembered that a friend hordes enough loo rolls to make a doomsday-prepper proud, and that

in my excitement to buy avocados from the man on the side of the road (no more ‘Ripe & Ready’ that rarely live up to the name!), I had bought far more than one person could possibly eat. I suggested a swap, she agreed. Saved!

3. IT’S EASY TO CHEAT

‘Why don’t I just go to the shops for you?’ my husband asked. Tempting, and a good question... I needed to set some ground rules, one of which was that I couldn’t ask someone to shop for me. But I could accept things bought for me.

An example: the toothpaste was nearly finished. I used a ruler to push the paste up from the bottom of the tube – in the lounge, in front of my husband, grunting with appropriate effort to indicate the seriousness of the situation. Later, I watched as he stuck the bristles of his brush right into the tube to scrape out the last of it. Surely this would result in him rushing off to the nearest franchise to buy this daily item he seems to think is self-replenishing?

This brings me to the next lesson learnt:

4. TOOTHPASTE

from the health shop costs R40 and tastes like botanical backwash.

5. YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE MOONSHINE

If you’re not living in Cape Town and buying fine wines directly from the vines, sourcing your sustenance alcohol from nonfranchise operations can prove a challenge. Let’s just say I left my kombucha to ferment a lot longer than the recommended five to seven days. It has quite a kick.

6. YOU’LL GET TO CONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY

Even in a small town, the local supermarket can be an anonymous place. On the other hand, buying from locals who have made the produce themselves instils a sense of community. They’re the ones who will put aside a loaf of that freshly baked bread you like when they start selling out.

7. LOYALTY POINTS ARE POINTLESS

Buying petrol was another exception to the franchise-free rule. Here I did swipe my loyalty cards (just so they knew I was still out there). That said, I obviously earned very few loyalty points for the month and, believe it or not, I survived. I’d go so far as to say I felt liberated. Why should my bank and medical aid dictate where I buy my dishwashing liquid and how I spend my time? Not caring about whether or not I was getting a free smoothie gave me one less thing to worry about.

8. YOU’LL LEARN SELF-SUFFICIENCY – AND HOW TO SIMPLIFY

We’ve become too accustomed to convenience and a world in which we think money can solve all our problems. Not being able to go out and buy everything I thought I needed meant either going without or making an alternative plan. We could all benefit from a little inventory inventiveness.

9. IT WAS CHEAPER

When I compared my average monthly grocery bill to my franchise-free grocery bill I found that I’d spent less in that month. I was surprised, as one of the reasons I support franchises is for the perceived lower prices and specials. Perhaps the savings were a bit of a red herring: I had less opportunity to shop (and spend money on things I didn’t need). Still, the numbers speak for themselves.

10. IT’S BETTER FOR YOUR HEALTH (I THINK)

Avoiding ‘the shops’ means avoiding the sweet aisle or the ‘buy one, get one free’. It also forces us to eat more seasonally and naturally, which could mean nutritious produce that hasn’t had to be processed and packaged and flown across the world. I’d be lying if I said that my skin magically cleared up and my digestive system suddenly functioned with German precision, but I’m sure I did emit a (somewhat sanctimonious) glow.

So, after a month, where does this leave me? Well, I’ve cancelled my medical aid rewards programme; I continue to buy fresh groceries from local farmers; I’m growing my own veggies and trying to avoid spending money on things I don’t really need. As for the ‘3 for 2’ toothpaste specials… they’re still a firm franchise favourite!

I obviously earned very few loyalty points for the month and, believe it or not, I survived. I would go so far as to say that I felt liberated.