Whole Foods update. No, they didn't answer my e-mail.

Jenn got me a great Living Social $20 deal to Whole Foods, so I grabbed a few minutes during work today to wander over and buy some stuff I wouldn't normally get, or at least, not at Whole Foods -- organic ground flaxseed and coffee. And a carrot juice.

While I was there, I visited the customer service desk (as suggested on the website, even while they are cautioned me that they probably wouldn't return my e-mail.) Before I tell that story though, I have to note that the co-workers I encountered during my visit were exceedingly friendly and helpful. And I think that the woman at customer service was very friendly and wanted to be helpful, but she totally failed to grasp the larger question at hand: "How do you decide which foods to provide gluten-free shelf tags." She stated the following:

We have a person who has to make all the tags personally. (What? They are pre-printed shelf tags, not tablets with etchings...)

Many gluten-free foods are labeled on the packaging. (Yes, yes they are. So why are there so many LABELED gluten-free foods without shelf tags? Oh yes, because someone is hand-creating the tags in the back room.)

I followed up with, "So the Celestial Seasonings tea has the shelf tag, but not Republic of Tea, many varieties of which are labeled gluten-free. Not that I particularly care about Republic of Tea, but why label select items in the TEA AISLE when there are other teas that are also gluten free, AND since tea as a collective product is generally not so gluteny, why not focus on something like power bars or chips or something?" 

Her reply: Would you like me to make a note that you'd like to see more shelf tags for gluten-free foods?

Yes, yes I would.