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Are You Buddies With the Staff at Your Local Grocery Store?

partysugar — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:50:09 -0700

On average, I shop at Mollie Stone's on California Street in San Francisco twice a week. I've been picking up groceries there since I moved into my current apartment two years ago. Naturally, I've developed a relationship with everyone from the fishmonger to the spirits director to my favorite checkout guy, Travis, who always asks what I'm making. Being friendly with the supermarket's staff not only helps me get better service, but it also means I have a more enjoyable shopping trip. I have a feeling I'm not alone in the matter, so tell me, do you converse with the workers at your market?

Do You Ever Buy Foods Solely For Their Cuteness?

YumSugar — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:00:12 -0700

Last time I went shopping at Whole Foods, I came across some tomatoes that were so dainty, the smallest ones were tinier than my baby fingernail! I found them incredibly adorable and, admittedly for this reason only, found myself shelling out $4 for a carton. Have you ever been swayed to buy something just because it's (almost) too cute to eat?

UK Government Opposes Buy-One-Get-One-Free Food Deals

YumSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:30:42 -0700

The UK government, in an effort to reduce wasted food, is pressuring grocers to stop employing buy-one-get-one-free sales tactics. The nation's administration found that a third of all food in the UK is wasted, including roughly 5.1 million potatoes and 220,000 loaves of bread each year.

According to the Waste and Resource Action Program, or WRAP, the average Briton throws away more than his own weight - over $700 worth - in food annually. Eliminating the amount of food being tossed would decrease carbon emissions equivalent to removing a fifth of the country's cars on the road.WRAP suspects that since many of the buy-one-get-one-free promotions are applied to older items, consumers are tossing products that pass their "sell-by" dates, unaware that the commodities can still be consumed, as long as they haven't reached a different "use-by" date. As an alternative, supermarkets are being asked to offer half-price deals on perishable goods instead.

Since I've spent my whole life exposed to these deals, it never occurred to me that this sales pitch could be wasteful. But the policy, which appears to have plenty of market research behind it, makes sense. What do you think of the move? Should America consider doing the same as well?

Source: Flickr User Michael_Lehet

Sales Surge at Salvage Supermarkets

YumSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:30:41 -0700

As customers search for deeper discounts, they appear to be moving away from traditional grocery stores. In recent months, sales have soared at salvage supermarkets, no-frills operations where shoppers can buy food that's discounted, sometimes by more than 50 percent. The lower price, however, comes at a cost. Consumers may be buying crushed cereal boxes, dented canned tomatoes, or salad dressing bottles past their sell-by date. Inventory isn't consistent; availability is contingent on what brokers ship to the store. Many shoppers are middle-class consumers who buy the majority of their food from regular grocery stores, but see salvage grocers as an opportunity for bargains. Like their conventional counterparts, these markets must also face inspections and regulations. Although inspectors aren't concerned about sell-by dates, as manufacturer dates don't imply when something is safe to eat, but rather when quality is best. Are you familiar with the salvage grocers in your area? Would you be interested in visiting one?

Will Wal-Mart's New Cookies Hurt the Girl Scouts?

YumSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:30:00 -0700

Over the years, world's biggest retailer Wal-Mart has been the source of heated scrutiny for many organizations, from labor unions to environmental groups. The grocery giant's latest purported victim? The Girl Scouts.

According to Ad Age, the corporation, which has focused on expanding its Great Value private label, handed out test versions of its cookies at Chicago's recent BlogHer conference. One Ohio mommy blogger - and former Girl Scout cookie mom - took immediate notice of the cookies' resemblance to Girl Scout varieties.

"Wal-Mart has copied the Girl Scouts' two best selling cookie types, Thin Mints and Tagalongs," wrote C.V. Harquail on her blog, Authentic Organizations. "There goes the Girl Scout cookies' special allure, and there go the profits that fund the Girl Scouts' programs."

The issue, which has already garnered a reasonable amount of attention, once again raises the question of the corporation's concern for its community. Do you think the new cookies will cannibalize sales of Girl Scout cookies? Is Wal-Mart responsible for considering the impact of its sales on its surroundings - or is it up to the Girl Scouts to evolve with the times?

Source: Flickr User zaui

Simple Tip: Keep Reusable Totes in Your Trunk

YumSugar — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:50:50 -0700

From drinking less bottled water to making more educated seafood choices, I've been all about adopting a greener lifestyle. But simple as it sounds, the one thing I could never quite nail down was bringing reusable totebags to the grocery store.

Every Sunday, without fail, I'd pull into my local Trader Joe's, and catch the "Don't forget to bring your reusable bags!" sign in the parking lot, only to realize that I'd left all of my totebags at home. After repeating this mistake too many times to count, I finally collected all of my market totes and put them in the trunk of my car. Now, I have an array of bag sizes that come in handy not just for my weekly groceries, but also for takeout, dinner party leftovers, and anything else you can imagine.

Where do you keep your reusable bags, so you don't forget them?

Do You Go Through the Self-Checkout?

YumSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:15:12 -0700

Although a recent report found that you can save both cash and calories by going through the self-checkout at the grocery store, some consumers have mixed feelings about scanning your own sundries. On one hand, you can bag everything to your liking, but on the other hand, the automated machines often get stuck on unseen errors. What's your take on them?

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Self-Checkouts Better For Your Wallet and Waistline

YumSugar — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:15:18 -0700

Next time you're waiting in line at the supermarket, do yourself a favor and mosey over to the self-checkout instead. According to Consumer Reports, ringing up groceries yourself could save you calories - as well as cash.

Last month, the magazine reported that the unit price of Coke at the register was more than twice as expensive as Coke sold in the beverage aisle, illustrating the fact that items sold near the checkout tend to be more costly than their grocery aisle counterparts. Since self-checkouts mean more distractions, fewer snack options, and a shorter wait time, bagging your own food could also be better for your health. A 2007 study revealed impulse buys dropped more than 32 percent among women and 16 percent among men when shoppers rang up their own purchases. The same survey also suggested that women could lose up to 4.1 pounds - and men 3.1 pounds - yearly by eliminating impulse buys at the checkout altogether.

I've gone to the self-checkout in the past to purchase an item or two, but I must admit that I avoid it otherwise, since my impatient self can't handle it when the automated system gets stuck on a bar code or a bagged item. Nevertheless, these stats have me reconsidering self-bagging. Do you think there's truth to the claim?

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Restaurants, Suffering From Poor Turnout, Look to Retail

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 05:50:38 -0700

These days, chain restaurants are looking for any way to eke out a profit, from offering cheaper steaks to haggling with customers. But given the economic downturn, many are no longer expecting to fill tabletops at dinner - instead, they're counting on customers at the grocery store. Restaurants from Jamba Juice to California Pizza Kitchen and even Tony Roma's plan to introduce new licensed food products in the next year. Yesterday, Starbucks unveiled its new Super-Premium Ice Cream. The new line of ice cream, created in partnership with Unilever, is inspired by coffeehouse drinks with flavors like caramel macchiato and java chip.

Healthy drink chain Jamba Juice has been sorting through production and logistics on a ready-to-drink smoothie made by Nestle that will be carried in convenience stores in addition to supermarkets. Certain chains that already have licensed, branded items in grocery stores are looking to aggressively expand them. California Pizza Kitchen recently introduced flatbread sandwiches made in partnership with Kraft, and the company plans to expand its product line. Rib specialist Tony Roma's is also broadening its line of heat-and-serve meals beyond baby back ribs to include pulled pork, pot roast, and other items.

Since consumers are dining out less and eating in more, it makes perfect sense for restaurants to move in this direction, but if the past is any indicator, I've found licensed food products are usually nothing but a letdown. Do you feel the same way? Could you see this being the moneymaker for restaurant chains this year?

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The Year's Best Grocery Store

YumSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:00:56 -0800

Earlier we asked your thoughts on the Best of 2008, and that included your favorite grocery store of the year. Although prices went through the roof on everything from beef to dairy, you chose Trader Joe's as your number-one pick. For the second year in a row, it was the clear winner, taking 39 percent of the vote. We must be on the same wavelength because Trader Joe's is Yum's supermarket fave, too. We love TJ's because it offers a variety of unique, all-natural food choices without breaking the bank. It's got a frozen-food selection, cheese offering, and wine section. We wish every grocer could offer the same value for the quality. In fact, we love the store so much that we experimented with a cookbook that exclusively calls for items from Trader Joe's. What are your reasons for preferring TJ's?

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