Safeway "New Lower Price" "Everyday Low Price" program?

[storewanderer]

Noticed this week at NorCal Safeway some items with "new lower price" "everyday low price" tags on them. No other marketing for this other than these few random tags but this may be a sign of an upcoming price cut program.

The problem is the items seem to be the same price as before.
They had this tag on Carrot Cake Slice (square) in bakery at 3.99 (2.50 for this at Smiths and a way better quality cake slice at Smiths)
They had this tag on Old El Paso Taco Shells at 3.49 (2.79/2.00 sale at Smiths)

I did see this tag on one item that appeared to be a price drop:
Signature Canned Corn 1.29 (0.89 for this at Smiths) which was 1.99 before but most other canned Signature Vegetables were still 1.99 (green beans, etc.).

[ClownLoach]

Noticed this week at NorCal Safeway some items with "new lower price" "everyday low price" tags on them. No other marketing for this other than these few random tags but this may be a sign of an upcoming price cut program.

The problem is the items seem to be the same price as before.
They had this tag on Carrot Cake Slice (square) in bakery at 3.99 (2.50 for this at Smiths and a way better quality cake slice at Smiths)
They had this tag on Old El Paso Taco Shells at 3.49 (2.79/2.00 sale at Smiths)

I did see this tag on one item that appeared to be a price drop:
Signature Canned Corn 1.29 (0.89 for this at Smiths) which was 1.99 before but most other canned Signature Vegetables were still 1.99 (green beans, etc.).

Ralphs has been doing this in SoCal with 'locked in low price' tags where the old regular price has become the new 'locked in' sale price with club card. Regular price goes up 50 cents to a dollar. I question the legality of this as you can't be on sale all the time, especially when it is a false sale. But I don't think the AG looks into this stuff anymore.

[storewanderer]

Noticed this week at NorCal Safeway some items with "new lower price" "everyday low price" tags on them. No other marketing for this other than these few random tags but this may be a sign of an upcoming price cut program.

The problem is the items seem to be the same price as before.
They had this tag on Carrot Cake Slice (square) in bakery at 3.99 (2.50 for this at Smiths and a way better quality cake slice at Smiths)
They had this tag on Old El Paso Taco Shells at 3.49 (2.79/2.00 sale at Smiths)

I did see this tag on one item that appeared to be a price drop:
Signature Canned Corn 1.29 (0.89 for this at Smiths) which was 1.99 before but most other canned Signature Vegetables were still 1.99 (green beans, etc.).

Ralphs has been doing this in SoCal with 'locked in low price' tags where the old regular price has become the new 'locked in' sale price with club card. Regular price goes up 50 cents to a dollar. I question the legality of this as you can't be on sale all the time, especially when it is a false sale. But I don't think the AG looks into this stuff anymore.

These are not like that. These are literally new low price- the item scans this way card or not and there is no end date posted at Safeway.

The Locked Down Low Prices are supposed to signify a season-wide sale price on a relevant item. The Wal Mart Rollback (think how they reduce basic 70 page spiral notebooks, 24ct crayons, and such during back to school) is a similar concept. Many chains have this kind of program. Raleys used to do something like this too and called it a "seasonal price drop."

In the case of Kroger the Locked Down Low Price program started off okay but lately I don't really understand it or the items included in the program. I have also seen them increase the price mid way through the supposed "locked down low price" period. They did this in 2022-into 2023 on Kroger Facial Tissue which was "locked down" at 1.00 and it was supposed to run to 2/2023 then sometime in 1/2023 they changed it to "locked down" at 1.25.

It is not unusual for stores to change a regular price in conjunction with posting the sale price. This gets two tasks done at the same time as the file maintenance clerk/scan coordinator goes to the item. They change the regular price and post the sale price at the same time.

[storewanderer]

Ralphs has been doing this in SoCal with 'locked in low price' tags where the old regular price has become the new 'locked in' sale price with club card. Regular price goes up 50 cents to a dollar. I question the legality of this as you can't be on sale all the time, especially when it is a false sale. But I don't think the AG looks into this stuff anymore.

Here's a post from some Petco employee on Reddit noting the same thing you mention is happening with the Kroger Locked In Low Prices.

~ttps://www.reddit.com/r/petco/comments/1aj53jj/prices/

[Bagels]

Maybe two years ago, Albertsons/Vons began tagging many items “everyday low price.” Many of these tags remain, although most seem to have been retired. Many items have cheaper everyday prices at Ralphs, so I assume it’s some type of marketing campaign.

Albertsons/Vons just competed another round of price hikes, the first major campaign in over a year. The only item whose shelf tag decreased was loose russet potatoes.

[storewanderer]

Maybe two years ago, Albertsons/Vons began tagging many items “everyday low price.” Many of these tags remain, although most seem to have been retired. Many items have cheaper everyday prices at Ralphs, so I assume it’s some type of marketing campaign.

Albertsons/Vons just competed another round of price hikes, the first major campaign in over a year. The only item whose shelf tag decreased was loose russet potatoes.

I remember those tags in SoCal. It didn't seem to be marketed much beyond the shelf tags. No hanging signs or support in the print ads that I could find. Maybe I missed it.

Prices at NorCal Safeway are outright crazy. I cannot believe their pricing. I walk the store weekly in complete jaw dropping shock over their pricing throughout the store. Whatever items I gather, which are few, I save 55-75% off the regular prices after sale/app/coupons. I have a similar reaction when walking Save Mart and I'm not sure I bought anything from Save Mart at all last month despite going into multiple locations. Raleys isn't quite as bad.

Another item with this "new everyday low price" tag at NorCal - Signature Pasta Sauce for 3.99. I don't think it was that much before. Classico is 5.49 but was tagged on sale 3.49. Over at Smiths the 3.49 is the regular price for Classico, stuff like Prego/Ragu is below $3 everyday, and the Kroger brand sauce is 2.29 or something everyday....

[Bagels]

Maybe two years ago, Albertsons/Vons began tagging many items “everyday low price.” Many of these tags remain, although most seem to have been retired. Many items have cheaper everyday prices at Ralphs, so I assume it’s some type of marketing campaign.

Albertsons/Vons just competed another round of price hikes, the first major campaign in over a year. The only item whose shelf tag decreased was loose russet potatoes.

I remember those tags in SoCal. It didn't seem to be marketed much beyond the shelf tags. No hanging signs or support in the print ads that I could find. Maybe I missed it.

Prices at NorCal Safeway are outright crazy. I cannot believe their pricing. I walk the store weekly in complete jaw dropping shock over their pricing throughout the store. Whatever items I gather, which are few, I save 55-75% off the regular prices after sale/app/coupons. I have a similar reaction when walking Save Mart and I'm not sure I bought anything from Save Mart at all last month despite going into multiple locations. Raleys isn't quite as bad.

Another item with this "new everyday low price" tag at NorCal - Signature Pasta Sauce for 3.99. I don't think it was that much before. Classico is 5.49 but was tagged on sale 3.49. Over at Smiths the 3.49 is the regular price for Classico, stuff like Prego/Ragu is below $3 everyday, and the Kroger brand sauce is 2.29 or something everyday....

The only thing I pay shelf price for is produce, which is competitively priced with Ralphs. Heck, even Walmart isn’t that much cheaper but then quality is unquestionably inferior.

Albertsons seems to have retired Safeway’s “personalized pricing” program (occasionally I’ll get an offer that’s a small savings, but it’s usually literally a few cents). I don’t buy anything (besides produce) that’s not onsale or without an app coupon attached. As you mentioned, pricing has gotten crazy - I can easily save by stopping at Ralph’s instead.

That said, Albertsons seems to have better ad deals most week.

[storewanderer]

Maybe two years ago, Albertsons/Vons began tagging many items “everyday low price.” Many of these tags remain, although most seem to have been retired. Many items have cheaper everyday prices at Ralphs, so I assume it’s some type of marketing campaign.

Albertsons/Vons just competed another round of price hikes, the first major campaign in over a year. The only item whose shelf tag decreased was loose russet potatoes.

I remember those tags in SoCal. It didn't seem to be marketed much beyond the shelf tags. No hanging signs or support in the print ads that I could find. Maybe I missed it.

Prices at NorCal Safeway are outright crazy. I cannot believe their pricing. I walk the store weekly in complete jaw dropping shock over their pricing throughout the store. Whatever items I gather, which are few, I save 55-75% off the regular prices after sale/app/coupons. I have a similar reaction when walking Save Mart and I'm not sure I bought anything from Save Mart at all last month despite going into multiple locations. Raleys isn't quite as bad.

Another item with this "new everyday low price" tag at NorCal - Signature Pasta Sauce for 3.99. I don't think it was that much before. Classico is 5.49 but was tagged on sale 3.49. Over at Smiths the 3.49 is the regular price for Classico, stuff like Prego/Ragu is below $3 everyday, and the Kroger brand sauce is 2.29 or something everyday....

The only thing I pay shelf price for is produce, which is competitively priced with Ralphs. Heck, even Walmart isn’t that much cheaper but then quality is unquestionably inferior.

Albertsons seems to have retired Safeway’s “personalized pricing” program (occasionally I’ll get an offer that’s a small savings, but it’s usually literally a few cents). I don’t buy anything (besides produce) that’s not onsale or without an app coupon attached. As you mentioned, pricing has gotten crazy - I can easily save by stopping at Ralph’s instead.

That said, Albertsons seems to have better ad deals most week.

I got some pretty good center store prices with the Buy 5+ Save $1 per item at Kroger this past week. I was surprised by the pricing; condiments, bread, tortillas (0.99), pasta(1.29), oatmeal, cheese; many items went down to around 1.99 that I hadn't seen go that low in a while and that price put them solidly below WinCo (who was selling the same item in the high 2's/low to mid 3's). Most of what I bought wasn't in the ad, I just saw it walking around the store and of course it was after the 4x Point Friday which is the day I try to do all Kroger shopping.

Produce pricing at Safeway NorCal is HORRIBLE and quality is marginal at best. They had Honeycrisp Apples 0.97/lb this week (regularly 3.79/lb) which is a fantastic price but most of them had so much green that they will probably not taste good based on my experience with Honeycrisps that look this way; I dug through and eventually found a few to buy. Produce at Smiths is significantly better quality than what Safeway is trying to sell in Reno area. Safeway's refrigerated vegetables are basically trash the next day (and you'll pick through stuff that is already visibly limp and spoiled to get to the one you find that is acceptable). Smiths you at least get a couple days out of it and they do not have stuff that is visibly limp or spoiled in the vegetable case (the cases are empty more often than they should be though).

Safeway has very bad vegetable presentation in the newest store with the "Modern" interior. The shelves are "straight" like a shelf in center store and items stacked one shelf on top of the next shelf. I assume part of this is to keep the vegetables dark to get extra shelf life out of them but it still needs rotation and they are very poor at rotation there. Numerous Google Reviews on this new store also complain about produce and pricing. So old stuff gets hidden out of sight/view on the vegetables and rotation is poor. Smiths vegetable rack has shelves completely angled down so all product is visible at all times; this shelf angling also pushes rotation of product as product falls downward as the shelf depletes of product.

Bananas 0.78/lb; Smiths 0.49/lb
Cluster Tomato 3.49/lb; Smiths 1.99/lb
230ct Limes (tiny) 0.69 EACH; Smiths 0.59 EACH for 175-200ct Limes (bigger) - both of these are too high but obviously one is better than the other
Napa Cabbage 2.99/lb; Smiths 1.29/lb
Green Onion 1.49; Smiths 0.99 (also both too high)
Russet Potato 1.79/lb; Smiths 1.19/lb
Broccoli Crown 3.49/lb; Smiths 1.99/lb
16oz Baby Carrot 2.99; Smiths 1.25

[Bagels]

I remember those tags in SoCal. It didn't seem to be marketed much beyond the shelf tags. No hanging signs or support in the print ads that I could find. Maybe I missed it.

Prices at NorCal Safeway are outright crazy. I cannot believe their pricing. I walk the store weekly in complete jaw dropping shock over their pricing throughout the store. Whatever items I gather, which are few, I save 55-75% off the regular prices after sale/app/coupons. I have a similar reaction when walking Save Mart and I'm not sure I bought anything from Save Mart at all last month despite going into multiple locations. Raleys isn't quite as bad.

Another item with this "new everyday low price" tag at NorCal - Signature Pasta Sauce for 3.99. I don't think it was that much before. Classico is 5.49 but was tagged on sale 3.49. Over at Smiths the 3.49 is the regular price for Classico, stuff like Prego/Ragu is below $3 everyday, and the Kroger brand sauce is 2.29 or something everyday....

The only thing I pay shelf price for is produce, which is competitively priced with Ralphs. Heck, even Walmart isn’t that much cheaper but then quality is unquestionably inferior.

Albertsons seems to have retired Safeway’s “personalized pricing” program (occasionally I’ll get an offer that’s a small savings, but it’s usually literally a few cents). I don’t buy anything (besides produce) that’s not onsale or without an app coupon attached. As you mentioned, pricing has gotten crazy - I can easily save by stopping at Ralph’s instead.

That said, Albertsons seems to have better ad deals most week.

I got some pretty good center store prices with the Buy 5+ Save $1 per item at Kroger this past week. I was surprised by the pricing; condiments, bread, tortillas (0.99), pasta(1.29), oatmeal, cheese; many items went down to around 1.99 that I hadn't seen go that low in a while and that price put them solidly below WinCo (who was selling the same item in the high 2's/low to mid 3's). Most of what I bought wasn't in the ad, I just saw it walking around the store and of course it was after the 4x Point Friday which is the day I try to do all Kroger shopping.

Produce pricing at Safeway NorCal is HORRIBLE and quality is marginal at best. They had Honeycrisp Apples 0.97/lb this week (regularly 3.79/lb) which is a fantastic price but most of them had so much green that they will probably not taste good based on my experience with Honeycrisps that look this way; I dug through and eventually found a few to buy. Produce at Smiths is significantly better quality than what Safeway is trying to sell in Reno area. Safeway's refrigerated vegetables are basically trash the next day (and you'll pick through stuff that is already visibly limp and spoiled to get to the one you find that is acceptable). Smiths you at least get a couple days out of it and they do not have stuff that is visibly limp or spoiled in the vegetable case (the cases are empty more often than they should be though).

Safeway has very bad vegetable presentation in the newest store with the "Modern" interior. The shelves are "straight" like a shelf in center store and items stacked one shelf on top of the next shelf. I assume part of this is to keep the vegetables dark to get extra shelf life out of them but it still needs rotation and they are very poor at rotation there. Numerous Google Reviews on this new store also complain about produce and pricing. So old stuff gets hidden out of sight/view on the vegetables and rotation is poor. Smiths vegetable rack has shelves completely angled down so all product is visible at all times; this shelf angling also pushes rotation of product as product falls downward as the shelf depletes of product.

Bananas 0.78/lb; Smiths 0.49/lb
Cluster Tomato 3.49/lb; Smiths 1.99/lb
230ct Limes (tiny) 0.69 EACH; Smiths 0.59 EACH for 175-200ct Limes (bigger) - both of these are too high but obviously one is better than the other
Napa Cabbage 2.99/lb; Smiths 1.29/lb
Green Onion 1.49; Smiths 0.99 (also both too high)
Russet Potato 1.79/lb; Smiths 1.19/lb
Broccoli Crown 3.49/lb; Smiths 1.99/lb
16oz Baby Carrot 2.99; Smiths 1.25

Wow, Albertsons is gauging in NorCal! Here, most items are priced the same - a few are priced less while a few are priced more.

Produce quality is excellent - on par with Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, etc. but for less. Obviously Albertsons doesn’t spend the labor handling produce those chains do, and sometimes it shows…. A few months ago I was picking through red delicious apples and noticed tbe bottom rows were rotting. Obviously inventory was t rotated.

I’ve seen apples from Chile at Ralph’s that you usually find only at the ethic markets here. And they were being sold for the same price as Washington apples. Not cool

[storewanderer]

The only thing I pay shelf price for is produce, which is competitively priced with Ralphs. Heck, even Walmart isn’t that much cheaper but then quality is unquestionably inferior.

Albertsons seems to have retired Safeway’s “personalized pricing” program (occasionally I’ll get an offer that’s a small savings, but it’s usually literally a few cents). I don’t buy anything (besides produce) that’s not onsale or without an app coupon attached. As you mentioned, pricing has gotten crazy - I can easily save by stopping at Ralph’s instead.

That said, Albertsons seems to have better ad deals most week.

I got some pretty good center store prices with the Buy 5+ Save $1 per item at Kroger this past week. I was surprised by the pricing; condiments, bread, tortillas (0.99), pasta(1.29), oatmeal, cheese; many items went down to around 1.99 that I hadn't seen go that low in a while and that price put them solidly below WinCo (who was selling the same item in the high 2's/low to mid 3's). Most of what I bought wasn't in the ad, I just saw it walking around the store and of course it was after the 4x Point Friday which is the day I try to do all Kroger shopping.

Produce pricing at Safeway NorCal is HORRIBLE and quality is marginal at best. They had Honeycrisp Apples 0.97/lb this week (regularly 3.79/lb) which is a fantastic price but most of them had so much green that they will probably not taste good based on my experience with Honeycrisps that look this way; I dug through and eventually found a few to buy. Produce at Smiths is significantly better quality than what Safeway is trying to sell in Reno area. Safeway's refrigerated vegetables are basically trash the next day (and you'll pick through stuff that is already visibly limp and spoiled to get to the one you find that is acceptable). Smiths you at least get a couple days out of it and they do not have stuff that is visibly limp or spoiled in the vegetable case (the cases are empty more often than they should be though).

Safeway has very bad vegetable presentation in the newest store with the "Modern" interior. The shelves are "straight" like a shelf in center store and items stacked one shelf on top of the next shelf. I assume part of this is to keep the vegetables dark to get extra shelf life out of them but it still needs rotation and they are very poor at rotation there. Numerous Google Reviews on this new store also complain about produce and pricing. So old stuff gets hidden out of sight/view on the vegetables and rotation is poor. Smiths vegetable rack has shelves completely angled down so all product is visible at all times; this shelf angling also pushes rotation of product as product falls downward as the shelf depletes of product.

Bananas 0.78/lb; Smiths 0.49/lb
Cluster Tomato 3.49/lb; Smiths 1.99/lb
230ct Limes (tiny) 0.69 EACH; Smiths 0.59 EACH for 175-200ct Limes (bigger) - both of these are too high but obviously one is better than the other
Napa Cabbage 2.99/lb; Smiths 1.29/lb
Green Onion 1.49; Smiths 0.99 (also both too high)
Russet Potato 1.79/lb; Smiths 1.19/lb
Broccoli Crown 3.49/lb; Smiths 1.99/lb
16oz Baby Carrot 2.99; Smiths 1.25

Wow, Albertsons is gauging in NorCal! Here, most items are priced the same - a few are priced less while a few are priced more.

Produce quality is excellent - on par with Whole Foods, Bristol Farms, etc. but for less. Obviously Albertsons doesn’t spend the labor handling produce those chains do, and sometimes it shows…. A few months ago I was picking through red delicious apples and noticed tbe bottom rows were rotting. Obviously inventory was t rotated.

I’ve seen apples from Chile at Ralph’s that you usually find only at the ethic markets here. And they were being sold for the same price as Washington apples. Not cool

The store that has the same level of produce quality here as Whole Foods is Scolaris (same supplier is used) but the two stores left don't sell a whole lot of produce, one of the stores doesn't seem to put much labor into produce anymore, and prices really went up last year, they still have some strong produce ads though.

That is a rotation issue at Ralphs, the Chile apples should have been 100% out of the store back in like October. This Smiths is very aggressive with produce rotation. They run the vegetables empty then fill them back up. They frequently get sent bad produce by Kroger and just don't put it out at all. I have given up completely on buying berries at Smiths; they are just garbage. Safeway also has issues with berries lately being moldy in the display. Usually on Monday or Tuesday at Smiths they do a sweep of various tables (apples, citrus, tomato, potato) and just pull everything off and put it into those 99 cent markdown bags. Many days they have 2-3 carts of markdown produce with those 99 cent markdown bags in them. Smiths also aggressively marks down bagged salads, mushrooms, etc. 3 days before expiration to about 55% off. Safeway of course does not reduce ANY produce. All at FULL price.