Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

California. No non-grocery posts.
Locked
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by storewanderer »

Some more real awful prices at Safeway with recent increases:

NorCal (Reno)

Dole Can Tropical Fruit Salad 15.25oz: 4.49 !!!! (Smiths price 1.99)
Miracle Whip 30 oz 8.49 !!!!! (on sale for 6.99) (Smiths price 4.99 and on sale for 3.99)

Deli used to have some heat and serve cold foods at $5: 4ct Pork Buns, 5ct Tamales - now they are $6 and there is even a new red $6 sticker for the packages (I thought that sticker was for Hawaii). Quality on these wasn't great for $5. I'll pass at $6.

Did they get the Hawaii pricing feed applied to the entire NorCal division by mistake?
Bagels
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 823
Joined: August 20th, 2018, 11:54 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 12 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by Bagels »

Another big hike: Velveeta Mac N Cheese went from $3.99 to $5.99 (!!!). It's $2.99 at Ralphs and $2.49 at Walmart.

And it looks like Ralphs is experimenting with big price hikes as well. I bought 5 items at an Irvine store, then went to another store in El Toro to see if they had a sixth that wasn't in stock in Irvine. Of the five items I bought, 4 were priced higher:

- 12 rolls of private label 1000-sheet toilet paper: $7.99 in Irvine, $9.99 in El Toro ($8.99 at Albertsons, $7.49 Walmart -- all likely the same vendor)
- 32 oz. Greek yogurt $3.79 in Irvine, $4.79 in El Toro ($3.99 at Albertsons, $3.49 Walmart)
- Kroger chips (7 oz.) $1.79 in Irvine, $2.29 in El Toro ($2.99 at Albertsons, $1.25 Walmart)
- Kroger BBQ sauce $1.00 in Irvine, $1.25 in El Toro ($1.99 at Albertsons, 89c Walmart)
storewanderer wrote: October 16th, 2021, 11:14 pm Some more real awful prices at Safeway with recent increases:

NorCal (Reno)

Dole Can Tropical Fruit Salad 15.25oz: 4.49 !!!! (Smiths price 1.99)
Miracle Whip 30 oz 8.49 !!!!! (on sale for 6.99) (Smiths price 4.99 and on sale for 3.99)

Deli used to have some heat and serve cold foods at $5: 4ct Pork Buns, 5ct Tamales - now they are $6 and there is even a new red $6 sticker for the packages (I thought that sticker was for Hawaii). Quality on these wasn't great for $5. I'll pass at $6.

Did they get the Hawaii pricing feed applied to the entire NorCal division by mistake?
Looks like most of the huge price hikes are on items with supply chain disruptions. Probably cashing in on it...
Bagels
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 823
Joined: August 20th, 2018, 11:54 pm
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 12 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by Bagels »

The pre-holiday ads are up, and -- for what's traditionally the most discounted time of the year -- they're pretty weak. I did get a chuckle: Albertsons guarantees the lowest price (between itself, Ralphs and Stater Bros) on a turkey. Stater Bros. is coming in a 69c per lb., Ralphs 49c and Albertsons 57c (Stater Bros. is using branded birds, Ralphs/Albertsons private label). Albertsons has had the cheapest price for 5+ years, and I'm certain they had some intel on Ralphs. It's almost like they don't get a f%@$ (they will price match Ralphs, but that's time consuming - might as well buy the bird from Ralphs instead).

Albertsons recently said that they will continue to aggressively raise prices as long as consumers will continue to pay them. I see they just introduced mini 1/2 canned veggies... for the same price Ralphs and Stater Bros. are charging for the "full" version. No thanks.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by storewanderer »

NorCal Safeway has tiered turkey pricing based on size for the lowest price turkey. Limit 1 with $25 purchase. There are 4 price tiers. If you play it right and find a 24 pound turkey, it will be around .417/lb. I don't know why they didn't just go with a per pound price. In past years, there have been two price tiers.

NorCal Safeway has had that turkey price guarantee you describe (pre Albertsons) for years but it does not appear to offer it this year.

Raleys is .57/lb for basic frozen turkey, limit 1.

Those 1/2 can vegetables are nothing new; they've been around for years. Most of the large chains discontinued them in favor of the full size cans but you can still find them at various other stores. The ones I have currently are Essential Everyday label, in the recent redesign, so I must have gotten them at some independent. The irony is in a number of cases the large chain probably could have offered the 1/2 can for .10 below the price of the full size can, and shifted some sales to a smaller higher margin small can. Well, okay, with Safeway wanting 1.99 for a store brand can of vegetables I would not pay 1.89 for the 1/2 can. But with Kroger where the store brand can of vegetables is .79, I'd pay .69 for the 1/2 can.
CalItalian
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1103
Joined: October 1st, 2009, 12:25 pm
Been thanked: 39 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by CalItalian »

Vons & Albertsons matched Ralphs store brand turkey price of .49 lb. (from their .57 lb. advertised) today with a $25 minimum purchase (Ralphs also requires a $25 minimum). You don't need to mention the lowest price guarantee, it's been automatically changed in-store to the lower price (at least at the store I was in this morning). The Vons I was in does not compete with a Ralphs, btw.

Aldi has the lowest price on a Butterball, .87 lb. Vons, Albertsons & Pavilions .99 lb. Ralphs is $1.39 lb. (ignore the $1.99/lb. online price, I've already been in store).

Stater Bros. has the highest prices across the board, .69 lb. for a Jennie-O or Honeysuckle turkey (with $25 minimum). $1.49 for a Butterball.

Smart & Final and Food 4 Less didn't advertise any turkey price this week.

I purchased my turkeys at Walmart. Best deal with the nationally advertised Ibotta $15 back deal.
TW-Upstate NY
Shift Manager
Shift Manager
Posts: 421
Joined: May 11th, 2009, 6:09 pm
Been thanked: 4 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by TW-Upstate NY »

Bagels wrote: November 9th, 2021, 12:27 am Albertsons recently said that they will continue to aggressively raise prices as long as consumers will continue to pay them.
I have to wonder what makes them think that's a viable strategy.
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by storewanderer »

TW-Upstate NY wrote: November 10th, 2021, 3:29 pm
Bagels wrote: November 9th, 2021, 12:27 am Albertsons recently said that they will continue to aggressively raise prices as long as consumers will continue to pay them.
I have to wonder what makes them think that's a viable strategy.
Old habits die hard- seems to be the same mentality the old publicly traded Albertsons in the 00's had, and the old publicly traded Safeway in the 00's.

Meanwhile my observation of pricing at Kroger continues to be they "hold the line" so to speak. They are increasing some prices but they are fairly small increases. Similar observations on price increases at Save Mart. Have seen some surprisingly large price increases at Wal Mart and Target too but then notice they go back down to a mid point a week after the large increase.
veteran+
Valued Contributor
Valued Contributor
Posts: 2233
Joined: January 3rd, 2015, 7:53 am
Has thanked: 1202 times
Been thanked: 71 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by veteran+ »

TW-Upstate NY wrote: November 10th, 2021, 3:29 pm
Bagels wrote: November 9th, 2021, 12:27 am Albertsons recently said that they will continue to aggressively raise prices as long as consumers will continue to pay them.
I have to wonder what makes them think that's a viable strategy.
HUBRIS!

:evil:
CalItalian
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1103
Joined: October 1st, 2009, 12:25 pm
Been thanked: 39 times
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by CalItalian »

Nobody even came close to the two-day sale (11/17-18) at Aldi for Butterball turkey. .45 cents lb. with no minimum purchase.
Aldi appears to either exclusively (at my local Aldi that's all they had) or possibly majority be carrying Butterball turkey this year. Last year it was Jennie-O majority. I bought my large turkey at Aldi yesterday. Waiting until the last ad week, until I saw a preview earlier this week of the Thanksgiving week ads, paid off.

Walmart Butterball turkey price of $1.48 lb. is very high but if you bought a small turkey, as I did, with the $15 Ibotta turkey cashback deal, it was actually a better deal than Aldi (my oop was $3.80 on a 12.70 lb. turkey). I don't believe any major store had a higher price than Walmart on Butterball, Jennie-O (same price).
storewanderer
Posts: 14379
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

Post by storewanderer »

CalItalian wrote: November 18th, 2021, 12:08 pm Nobody even came close to the two-day sale (11/17-18) at Aldi for Butterball turkey. .45 cents lb. with no minimum purchase.
Aldi appears to either exclusively (at my local Aldi that's all they had) or possibly majority be carrying Butterball turkey this year. Last year it was Jennie-O majority. I bought my large turkey at Aldi yesterday. Waiting until the last ad week, until I saw a preview earlier this week of the Thanksgiving week ads, paid off.

Walmart Butterball turkey price of $1.48 lb. is very high but if you bought a small turkey, as I did, with the $15 Ibotta turkey cashback deal, it was actually a better deal than Aldi (my oop was $3.80 on a 12.70 lb. turkey). I don't believe any major store had a higher price than Walmart on Butterball, Jennie-O (same price).
Wal Mart's prices are quite high this year. I was very surprised. It is like they are not even trying to be competitive. I guess they are still ok on vague items the chains do not discount. Well, in a market with Winco, Smiths, Raleys, Safeway, Save Mart, Trader Joes, and a few independents you still have to. Add in Food Maxx and Scolaris over in Sparks side with some ok deals (all ad items below Wal Mart's prices) and there is even more competition. A couple items I buy there due to unusual for me brand preference, cost 20-30% more than last year. Granted, last year's price was the same price the items had been for 10+ years.
Locked