A recent story on the nbcnews.com blog Red Tape Chronicles “mourned” the death of the price tag. I share the sentiment.

Shelf tags may be convenient for retail establishments, but they sure are not consumer-friendly. As the online article rightly pointed out, shelf tags are often confusing. Since shelves do not have enough space to accommodate every vital information a consumer needs to know about a product, merchandisers have taken to using abbreviations, which are worse than the jejemon gobbledygook used for texting on mobile phones.

Quite often, consumers pick up an item thinking that the price fits their budget, only to find out when they get to the cashier that it is actually more expensive.

People often do not bother to return items to their proper places so, unless you carefully read the shelf tags, you can end up with stuff that will make you spend more than you want to.

Although there are price scanners in supermarkets, they are often too few or are hard to find that, if you are in a hurry, you just hope that the item you get will not make you exceed your budget.

The article explained why clear price tags were important. “Without them, there is no competition. Consumers can’t shop around and pick the best price, or make judgments about the best value,” it pointed out.

The article added that clear pricing not only benefited the consumers but the industry, too. “(W)ith clear pricing, the best companies with the best products and the best value are rewarded over time. Without clear prices, companies that create the most confusion win, and honest companies slowly fade away,” it said.

Who’s not exempted?

I just read a newspaper advertisement that said: “Gun ban? No problem! Selling and licensing of firearms allowed here.” The advertiser said it would take care of securing an exemption to allow the buyer to bring his/her newly licensed firearm home.

I hope that is where the gun will stay for the duration of the ban imposed by the Commission on Elections. Otherwise, why have a ban if every Juan or Juana can get an exemption through certain dealers? I am sure many people who should not be allowed to have a firearm are showing an immense interest in the ad.

Dental Health Month

In case you do not know it yet, oral health is a major contributor to overall physical well-being. After all, the digestive process, which converts the food we eat into the important nutrients our body needs, begins with chewing. This is why this year the theme of Dental Health Month, which is marked every February, is “Ngipin Pangalagaan, Sakit Maiwasan.”

It aims to make people realize that oral care is not just about aesthetics but, more importantly, overall well-being.

The problem, of course, is many, if not most people, dread visits to the dentist more than going to medical doctors. People who are reluctant to see the dentist until the pain gets unbearable will be happy to know that efforts are being made to make dental health experts and their clinics less fearsome.

Metro Dental chain, for instance, says its waiting room is laid out like a spa to lessen the anxiety of patients waiting to see the dentist. It also has Wi-Fi access so visitors can use their digital gadgets while waiting.

Perhaps even more welcome information is the fact that Metro Dental clinics are located in popular malls. People, who only need simple services like cleaning, can do their shopping and visit to the dentist at the same time.

Ikebana appreciation

Members of the Ikenobo Ikebana Society, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary, are holding an exhibit from Feb. 24 to 26, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., at the Atrium of Edsa Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City.

Visiting professor Takashi Moribe of the Ikenobo Ikebana Society of Floral Arts in Kyoto, Japan, is among the exhibitors, together with professor Serapion Metilla, Joyce Kato, Liling Nuguid, Missy Ignacio and Dr. Lupe Lazaro.

Moribe will give a demonstration on “Ikebana Appreciation” on Feb. 23, 2-5 p.m., at 2/F Podium, Pasig City. Call Liza Metilla at 4253609 to get an invitation to the demo.

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