Consumer Minute: Caffeine, jobs, salads

Cutting Caffeine

First Starbucks announced layoffs. Now the coffee-shop company is making another move to cut costs.

It’s cutting decaf from its afternoon menu. Starbucks is telling its stores to stop brewing decaffeinated coffee after noon time.  Apparently the demand for decaf decreases sharply as the day goes on, so the company is hoping to save money by not keeping it constantly on hand.

But customers can still order decaffeinated drip coffee.  Employees will brew a fresh pot upon request.

More Job Cuts

The latest big retailers cutting jobs are Target and Best Buy. Blaming slow sales, Target laid off 600 employees Tuesday, and eliminated another 400 positions.

Best Buy is also cutting jobs but so far has declined to release the exact number.

Eating Healthy

It could cost you more to eat a healthy salad this year. There are severe drought conditions in California’s Central Valley, where many of the country’s fruit and vegetable crops are grown.

Many farmers report being forced to give up on their fields after government officials put a limit on the amount of water they can use to irrigate.  Officials in Fresno County predict that this year, farmers will harvest just half the usual acreage of lettuce and other greens.  And that could end up driving up prices.