Albertsons’ Soaring Prices

[Bagels]

You're going to need to prove that because I find almost every regular produce price at Ralphs is the same or higher than Vons/Albertsons. I'll be happy to go and take pictures to prove it, too.

Sure, let’s look at the app right now. Comparing prices using Irvine Ralphs and Albertsons.

Red delicious apples, per lb. Ralphs- 1.29, Albertsons- 1.69.

Bananas - R-65c. A-69c

navel Orange- R-1.49. A-1.99

3pk romaine hearts - R- 3.99 (22oz). A- 3.49 (18oz)

8 oz mushroom - R- 2.19. a-2.49

Baby carrots, 1lb - R-1.49, A-1.49

Yellow onion - both 99c

5 lb potatoe - R- 2.50. A-2.99

Strawberries. R-2.99. A-3.99

On the vine tomatoes - R, 1.99. A-2.99

Green beans - both 1.99


——-
Albertsons did not beat Ralphs on a single items. The 3pk Romaine Hearts came close, but Ralphs is 22+ oz., meaning it edges out Albertsons (18 oz).

Online prices are not reflective of all in-store prices and you should know that.

The prices on the app largely reflect the prices in the store, sans loss leaders. I did a physical price comparison last month, and Albertsons was cheaper on a single item vs. Ralphs (5 lb. bag of potatoes).

[storewanderer]

The app is very clear that the displayed coupons are applicable only at the store you selected. You’ve discovered that once you load these coupons, they can be used at other stores and divisions, even when the coupon no longer displays on the app. That’s a textbook example of a loophole. Please, let’s stop being cute.

The in-ad coupons/clipless coupons only work at the applicable store/division.

When Safeway first rolled out personalized deals they only worked in that specific division. At some point in the middle they opened it up so they started to work everywhere but there still seems to be some kind of restriction based on what division your card is considered "based" in. I am not clear what this restriction is.

The personalized deals seem to work across geographies but they do not always work across geographies to some extent but not to a full extent. I have yet to figure out how this all works and I do think the goal posts have changed a few times over the years. I have more than a few times been to two separate divisions in the same day (both of which will have their own $1 off produce, for instance) and I may add it at both stores and some trips it will come off at both stores, other trips it will only come off at the first store. One trip I did where I knew I was going to two divisions that day I added the coupons in advance and at that first store the $1 off produce which I had added for both stores came off two times.

However I would point this out- if I visit multiple divisions one week and I have added various offers from those divisions in the process of going to those different geographies, then I come home, and shop at Safeway, I have zero control over what offers apply at the cash register. And I have found sometimes the personal prices from other divisions apply and other times they do not apply. There is no way for the cashier to void an offer that I say was "for a different division." There needs to be a system block to keep that from happening, which there was at one time in the past.

[CalItalian]

All chains in SoCal retort to weekly loss leaders to get people into stores. Albertsons follows the same formula. This week they’re taking a hit on cantaloupe at 69c each, but it’s about the only produce item they beat Ralphs on. Their everyday price is actually higher.

You're going to need to prove that because I find almost every regular produce price at Ralphs is the same or higher than Vons/Albertsons. I'll be happy to go and take pictures to prove it, too.

Sure, let’s look at the app right now. Comparing prices using Irvine Ralphs and Albertsons.

Red delicious apples, per lb. Ralphs- 1.29, Albertsons- 1.69.

Bananas - R-65c. A-69c

navel Orange- R-1.49. A-1.99

3pk romaine hearts - R- 3.99 (22oz). A- 3.49 (18oz)

8 oz mushroom - R- 2.19. a-2.49

Baby carrots, 1lb - R-1.49, A-1.49

Yellow onion - both 99c

5 lb potatoe - R- 2.50. A-2.99

Strawberries. R-2.99. A-3.99

On the vine tomatoes - R, 1.99. A-2.99

Green beans - both 1.99


——-
Albertsons did not beat Ralphs on a single items. The 3pk Romaine Hearts came close, but Ralphs is 22+ oz., meaning it edges out Albertsons (18 oz).

I am comparing online Sun City Vons to Menifee Ralphs. Ralphs prices are different from what you listed. Ralphs prices:
On the Vine Tomatoes - $2.99 lb.
Red Delicious Apples - $1.49
Potatoes 5 lb. - $2.99
Romaine Hearts 3 pack are listed as 18 oz. not 22 as you posted.

[Bagels]

You're going to need to prove that because I find almost every regular produce price at Ralphs is the same or higher than Vons/Albertsons. I'll be happy to go and take pictures to prove it, too.

Sure, let’s look at the app right now. Comparing prices using Irvine Ralphs and Albertsons.

Red delicious apples, per lb. Ralphs- 1.29, Albertsons- 1.69.

Bananas - R-65c. A-69c

navel Orange- R-1.49. A-1.99

3pk romaine hearts - R- 3.99 (22oz). A- 3.49 (18oz)

8 oz mushroom - R- 2.19. a-2.49

Baby carrots, 1lb - R-1.49, A-1.49

Yellow onion - both 99c

5 lb potatoe - R- 2.50. A-2.99

Strawberries. R-2.99. A-3.99

On the vine tomatoes - R, 1.99. A-2.99

Green beans - both 1.99


——-
Albertsons did not beat Ralphs on a single items. The 3pk Romaine Hearts came close, but Ralphs is 22+ oz., meaning it edges out Albertsons (18 oz).

I am comparing online Sun City Vons to Menifee Ralphs. Ralphs prices are different from what you listed. Ralphs prices:
On the Vine Tomatoes - $2.99 lb.
Red Delicious Apples - $1.49
Potatoes 5 lb. - $2.99
Romaine Hearts 3 pack are listed as 18 oz. not 22 as you posted.

Ralphs’ produce pricing can vary by store. Sweet potatoes were 99c at Lake Forest over the weekend, but 1.49 in Irvine.

[CalItalian]

The app is very clear that the displayed coupons are applicable only at the store you selected. You’ve discovered that once you load these coupons, they can be used at other stores and divisions, even when the coupon no longer displays on the app. That’s a textbook example of a loophole. Please, let’s stop being cute.

The in-ad coupons/clipless coupons only work at the applicable store/division.

When Safeway first rolled out personalized deals they only worked in that specific division. At some point in the middle they opened it up so they started to work everywhere but there still seems to be some kind of restriction based on what division your card is considered "based" in. I am not clear what this restriction is.

The personalized deals seem to work across geographies but they do not always work across geographies to some extent but not to a full extent. I have yet to figure out how this all works and I do think the goal posts have changed a few times over the years. I have more than a few times been to two separate divisions in the same day (both of which will have their own $1 off produce, for instance) and I may add it at both stores and some trips it will come off at both stores, other trips it will only come off at the first store. One trip I did where I knew I was going to two divisions that day I added the coupons in advance and at that first store the $1 off produce which I had added for both stores came off two times.

However I would point this out- if I visit multiple divisions one week and I have added various offers from those divisions in the process of going to those different geographies, then I come home, and shop at Safeway, I have zero control over what offers apply at the cash register. And I have found sometimes the personal prices from other divisions apply and other times they do not apply. There is no way for the cashier to void an offer that I say was "for a different division."

I have never experienced in-ad coupons working across divisions.

I have never had an issue with personalized prices working in another division (mainly I travel to Phoenix, Las Vegas & the Bay Area on business and always visit an Albertsons Company store in those areas).

There is no restriction on where your account can be used. Some digital coupons have state restrictions listed on them but Albertsons routinely violates digital manufacturer terms and conditions stipulations - even posting manufacturer coupons in divisions they should not. They also routinely sell California milk products lower than required by the California Milk Advisory board after digital store & manufacturer coupon stacking. Many times I will also find digital manufacturer coupons that stack & stick. Most notorious is $1.25/1 Magnum Ice Cream + $2.50/2 Magnum Ice Cream for $3.75 off 2. That's their sloppiness.

[veteran+]

Even Dollar Tree, the last holdout of true dollar stores, is throwing in the towel because of Bidenflation and activist shareholder demands.

This inflation has been caused by the reopening of the economy, not to mention supply constraints caused by the pandemic. Why do we have to get political?
Looking at SamSpade's price comparison, Safeway's prices look to be 17% higher than Walmart. Usually they are like this on pricing anyway, 15 to 20% higher than Walmart.
I still do most of my shopping between Albertsons and Sprouts (sometimes Target and Costco).

You clearly do not know what is causing inflation. It is not a reopening of the economy. It's government spending and restrictions on domestic production. If you can't acknowledge that there is no possible way of having a truthful conversation about what is occuring.

It is way more complicated than your posit. Leaving out a plethora of other factors is not exactly being truthful.

[kr.abs.swy]

Just for the record, inflation is a highly complex issue and absolutely cannot be explained using one single factor.

This is exacerbated by covid. I'm not breaking any news to say that there is a combination of factors that are probably affecting prices, including but not limited to
* Overseas production shutdowns due to covid lockdowns continue to affect manufacturing, causing shortages
* The effects of last year's domestic shutdowns are still working through the system
* Some people are taking advantage of unemployment benefits and not working, causing wage inflation and shortages
* Others have decided they just aren't willing to work for $10-15/hour, again causing wage inflation and shortages
* Others have taken advantage of stock market strength to retire, again causing wage inflation and shortages
* Simple changes in how we live our lives are skewing demand (in this particular example, more people working from home means more people buying groceries for lunch instead of going to a sandwich shop, so there is more demand)
* Deficit spending will be, over time, inflationary and we are probably feeling the impacts of massive deficits over the past decade.
* Commodity prices are increasing

Probably every one of these factors, in one way or another, are affecting the prices at the grocery store.

And there are other factors ... To think that you can synthesize something as complex as inflation to one single factor is not correct. And I would like to suggest that inflation is one of those things where your view can be affected by your politics. There are so many statistics that you can usually find one that fits your thesis if you have already decided what you believe. It is hard to be truly objective about this.

This article from the Journal this morning does a reasonably good job of setting the stage. This should be a link that is accessible by anyone: https://www.wsj.com/articles/broader-in ... _permalink

Note the comment partway through the article that "The unprecedented nature of the pandemic shock makes interpreting these movements unusually hard."

[Bagels]

I have never had an issue with personalized prices working in another division (mainly I travel to Phoenix, Las Vegas & the Bay Area on business and always visit an Albertsons Company store in those areas).

There is no restriction on where your account can be used. Some digital coupons have state restrictions listed on them but Albertsons routinely violates digital manufacturer terms and conditions stipulations - even posting manufacturer coupons in divisions they should not. They also routinely sell California milk products lower than required by the California Milk Advisory board after digital store & manufacturer coupon stacking. Many times I will also find digital manufacturer coupons that stack & stick. Most notorious is $1.25/1 Magnum Ice Cream + $2.50/2 Magnum Ice Cream for $3.75 off 2. That's their sloppiness.

As I mentioned, I am NOT criticizing you; you are asserting that Albertsons has the best deals, and I'm merely pointing out that what you consider to be "deals" are really exploitation of loopholes. As I acknowledged, I do it as well to some extent. The "nice" thing about Albertsons/Vons, is that there's so few coupon websites/forums/blogs that cover them, that the percentage of people exploiting the app is insignificant (vs. Kroger, where they end up on powerful sites like slickdeals, etc.) to the point that they've went unfixed.

But Albertsons is clearly the most aggressive chain in raising prices. They do have some attractive loss leaders (sometimes they're better than Ralph's, sometimes they're not; generally, Albertsons is more competitive on beverages) but that certainly doesn't make up for their pricing elsewhere.

[CalItalian]

None of your assumptions were correct.

There are no loop holes. Loop holes assume you are doing something that is difficult to find and can't be done by others. Anyone can do them and Albertsons Companies allows it. Please show me where Albertsons Companies says you can not load coupons from other divisions. Just to the contrary, they list their divisions when you travel to other areas. They even allow you to switch within the website to other divisions. Customer Service even made the point to tell me to change my store location to whichever store I am in - even outside the area (specifically told me that while on the phone with an assistant manager).

Nice try but you are not correct.

My assumptions are correct. The spirit of my discussion was to point out that, at least in SoCal, Albertsons/Vons has been most agreed In raising its prices, on quantity, percentage and dollar value.

You asserted that Albertsons/Vons has the best deals. Over the last 20 years, I’ve read many of your postings across multiple forums (as you use the same handle). You like to exploit loop holes, and - just as everyone else who does - get cute with your justifications (e.g. that’s not the definition of a household). I’m certainly not criticizing, I’ve done so myself (on a much lower level). I’m merely pointing out that what you’re referring to as deals, Albertsons would consider coupon fraud.

The app is very clear that the displayed coupons are applicable only at the store you selected. You’ve discovered that once you load these coupons, they can be used at other stores and divisions, even when the coupon no longer displays on the app. That’s a textbook example of a loophole. Please, let’s stop being cute.

Kroger’s apps did the exact same thing until they closed loophole, although you can sometimes load high value coupons from a Ralphs and redeem them at F4L.

You just conflicted yourself in your last paragraph. Hilarious. You clearly do not know anything about Kroger's digital coupons. Coupons aren't loaded just through apps to start.

The Albertsons Companies app & website states nothing about coupons not being available at other stores. That's a moronic statement for you to make as THREE CHAINS ALL WITH DIFFERENT APPS & WEBSITES share the SAME COUPONS in Southern California to start!

Go back to square one and learn something instead of posting complete mistruths.

I really despise DUMB STATEMENTS and you have become the king of them.

[HCal]

But Albertsons is clearly the most aggressive chain in raising prices. They do have some attractive loss leaders (sometimes they're better than Ralph's, sometimes they're not; generally, Albertsons is more competitive on beverages) but that certainly doesn't make up for their pricing elsewhere.

I think Albertsons might be more aggressive in raising prices because they rely more on the personalized offers (just4U) than any other chain. This was Safeway's signature program, and seems to have higher customer usage than the equivalent program at Ralphs. So perhaps the base prices are simply less significant at Albertsons.

Stores like Stater Bros. that don't even have personalized pricing, of course, can't be so aggressive with raising shelf prices.