Meijer eyes bigger sales for Halloween

Early Halloween sales at Meijer stores had increased by 50% compared to the same time last year. The retailer is attributing the 50% increase in shoppers taking advantage of early savings on Halloween candy, décor and costumes, to excitement surrounding the days of celebration that will lead up to the actual holiday.

"People are really enthusiastic, especially since Halloween falls on a Monday so the weekend will give kids and adults more opportunities to celebrate," Christina Fecher, a Meijer spokeswoman said.

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are shopping earlier this year with 44% beginning shopping for Halloween in the first two weeks of October, 29% in September, 22% in the last two weeks of October and 5% before September.

Meijer projects that it will sell 7 million bags of Halloween candy with its bulk offerings appealing to families; more than 80,000 masks and wigs, and 30% more lighted/animated decor versus last year, with devices that project images and lights onto houses growing increasingly popular, according to Fecher.

Total spending for Halloween is expected to reach $8.4 billion this year.

Food prices in the US are lower than last year

Food prices have fallen for nine straight months in the U.S. It’s the longest streak of food deflation since 1960, thanks to low oil and grain prices.

Another reason grocery prices are falling is the increased competition from grocery discounters like Aldi the German supermarket discounter, which has big plans for the US market. This year they opened many supermarkets in California, and will continue to add stores in the US. Lidl, another German supermarket discounter has also plans to open stores in the US by 2018.

Kroger, the largest grocery store chain in the U.S., with nearly 2,900 stores, has also cut prices to compete with Wal-Mart and increase its market share.

AutoZone earnings and revenues rise

AutoZone profit grew 6.4% in the final quarter of the fiscal year. The auto parts retailer also reported higher revenues, with sales at stores open at least a year higher by 1% for the current quarter.

Also, the increase in revenues was driven by new store openings, and the increase in inventory and selection of products.

The company's ongoing inventory rollout has gone very well and will continue in 2017, the Thursday Chief Executive Bill Rhodes said.

Inventory per store climbed 2.5% from a year ago, while overall inventory increased 6.1%.

AutoZone opened 71 new stores and relocated two stores in the U.S., bringing its total to 5,297. Check the AutoZone Circular for the monthly motor oil and auto parts best deals & specials.

For the August quarter, AutoZone reported a profit of $426.8 million, up from $401.1 million, and revenues climbed 3.3% to $3.4 billion.

AutoZone had a gross margin of 52.8%, up from 52.5% a year earlier.

FDA bans antibacterial soaps

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned antibacterial soaps this month, because they're not cleaner, or safer than regular soap.

"Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water," said Dr. Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research said.

"In fact, some data suggest that antibacterial ingredients may do more harm than good over the long-term.", the official said.

The ban applies to products with 19 active ingredients, including triclosan and triclocarban.

One study, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy in September 2015, compared soap containing triclosan with regular soap both in lab tests and on people's hands.

The researchers exposed people to a type of common bacteria than can infect those with weakened immune systems, then had them wash their hands with triclosan and regular soap.

They found no difference between the two soaps.

Multiple studies have found that handwashing with antibacterial soap does not remove more bacteria or prevent more illnesses than washing with regular soap.

While regular soap works by mechanically removing germs from your hands, antibacterial soap contains chemicals that can kill bacteria or inhibit their growth. The old wash-off-the-germs method works just as well as kill-them-on-contact.

The FDA first registered triclosan in 1969, and the chemical has been added to soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products since then.

But triclosan soap is not just an equally effective replacement for ordinary soap — it may actually be worse than non-antibacterial varieties.

Studies have found that triclosan can increase bacterial antibiotic resistance, affect hormone regulation in animals and kill algae.

Source: Business Insider

Weis Markets opens five new supermarkets

Weis Markets will open five new supermarkets which were acquired from Mars Supermarkets in Baltimore County, MD.

The new locations include two stores in Dundalk and individual units in Essex, Arbutus and Carney. More than 500 former Mars employees will join the new Weis store teams.

“We are excited to steadily grow within Baltimore County and will make this transition as seamless as possible for the community and our new associates,” Kurt Schertle, Weis Markets’ COO, said. “Our goal is continuity; we will continue to offer a wide variety of local products carried in Mars stores. We are also thrilled that more than 500 Mars associates will join our Weis Markets family. We look forward to sharing our commitment of value, quality and customer service.”

The stores will offer more than 3,000 Weis brand products, and fresh produce from local growers and affordable food including a wide selection of organic produce, baked goods, quality meats and fresh dairy items.

Price Chopper sold undersized lobsters

Price Chopper Supermarkets sold undersized lobsters, according with an inspections conducted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The lobsters where shipped by the Cape Cod-based wholesaler The Lobster Trap, who has acknowledged responsibility for shipping undersized lobsters.

The Lobster Trap said in a statement that it inadvertently shipped lobsters to Price Chopper that would be of legal size in other states but fell short of requirements in New York. In New York, lobsters must measure at least 3 3/8 inches from the eye socket to the end of the body shell.

“It was never our intention to send short length lobsters to any of our customers,” said The Lobster Trap co-owner Logan Clarke.

“It’s entirely our fault that some of our packers mixed 3 1/4-inch lobsters earmarked for other Northeastern states with the shipment bound for Price Chopper.”

Costco customers will use the Anywhere Visa Card for payments

Costco dumped American Express cards in favor of Visa cards, and from June 20, 2016, if you want to get credit card rewards for your bulk purchases, you'll be able to use any Visa card, along with debit cards, cash, checks, EBT and Costco Cash Cards.

Customers who previously had a Costco and American Express co-branded card, will receive a new Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi, with all the previous rewards.

The new card from Visa offers 4% back on up to $7,000 a year in gas purchases, 3% back on restaurant and travel purchases and 2% back on Costco purchases.

Little impact from Aldi California stores for Smart & Final

Smart & Final discount stores competes with about 20 of the 26 Aldis that have opened in the past couple of months.

According with the Dave Hirz company’s president and CEO, the stores had lost an average of $5,000 in sales during opening week, and it’s now down to about $2,000.

What’s helping the Smart & Final is the availability of club sizes, which account for 30% of its sales “and which Aldi doesn’t carry. The Smart & Final Weekly Ad Sale is released every week and has great offers for groceries.

Smart & Final expects to continue to increase store count by about 10% a year, though the acquisition of 33 former Haggen stores at the end of last year boosted growth to 15% this year.

The Los Angeles based Smart & Final Stores continues the rapid growth in California, with all 33 stores acquired from Haggen now open for business.

In opening the 33 stores, Smart & Final has increased its presence in the important Los Angeles and Orange County markets, and doubled store count in the California Central Coast and San Diego.

Currently, Smart & Final operates 306 stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada and Idaho, including 251 Smart & Final banner stores, 160 of which are Smart & Final Extra! format stores.

A new Hispanic Grocery Store format - Fresco y Más

At a Winn-Dixie store in Hialeah, Florida, the retailer had unveiled a new Hispanic brand name - Fresco y Más.

Fresco y Más has been tailored to provide the products and services that meet the needs of the community, "while continuing to offer great value, stunning quality food and service with personality."

“Winn-Dixie opened its first store in Hialeah in 1958, and this community has been important to us for many years," Ian McLeod, president and CEO of Southeastern, said in a statement. "

“Fresco y Más offers an expanded Hispanic product assortment, great low prices and new features, including a full-service Latin Butcher shop and new Cocina — everything that our customers told us is important to them,” he added.

Fresco y Más grocery supermarket services:
- A full-service Latin butcher shop (Carniceria) offering an expanded selection of fresh cut meats to better serve the customers.
- A café with expanded seating area serving authentic Hispanic breakfast, pastries, drinks and hot and cold sandwiches.
- A new “Cocina” offering daily specials of freshly-prepared, homemade favorites.
- Made-to-order personalized party platter packages available to serve 25, 50 or 100 people (includes personalized cake, croquettes (croquetas), pastries (pastelitos) and fried stuffed potatoes (papas rellenas).
- $1 Zone within the store, with savings on more than 300 popular items for only $1, including cleaning products, baby products, bath and health products, foil ware and value greeting cards.