hotel owner slims down guests

one business is actively trying to slim down its clientele. recently, a hotel owner in germany began an incentive program to get his customers into better shape - by charging them by the kilogram. his rationale: "healthy guests live longer and can come back more often."

although some businesses may benefit from relatively unhealthy habits (e.g. little debbie, mcdonalds), i wonder if they could see long term benefit from unhealthy customers. i would think that a far-sighted company would make their foods as healthy as possible while maintaining sales, right? a healthy person may eat a lot more little debbie cakes in her life than a morbidly obese person who will die 10 years earlier, even if she eats less per day. the healthy consumer will be a better and longer-lasting messenger for the product as well.

as nick naylor says in thank you for smoking, "it's in our best interest to keep robin alive and smoking."

update: although it may be in businesses' best interest to keep their customers alive, healthy, and using their products, it is just the opposite for governments with socialized medical care.

Labels: well being