Top 3 Chains Target of New Campaign, Film

ELLIOT ZWIEBACH

LOS ANGELES — A multimedia campaign aimed at exposing the “corporate excesses" of the three leading national grocery chains is scheduled to be unveiled today by Brave New Films and the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, a community group that works with unions and others to improve the way businesses treat consumers. Robert Greenwald, the director of a 2005 documentary entitled, "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices," is also the director of a new film, "Supermarket Swindle," segments of which will be released to the public, an Alliance spokesman told SN. According to a press release, the film explores "how Ralphs, Albertsons and Vons are following Wal-Mart's business model by slashing benefits and cutting wages to achieve ever-higher profits and executive pay." In a teaser to the film at www.SuperMarketSwindle.com, it is noted that Southern California retail clerk salaries have not risen since 2002, while the three CEOs’ salaries rose in triple digits — 124% for Kroger’s David Dillon, 210% for Supervalu’s Jeff Noddle and 600% for Safeway’s Steve Burd — between 2003 and 2006.

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