Retail Watchers

Some divisions (not seen this tag anywhere locally, but see images online for Acme, Safeway, VONS, Albertsons) are using a tag line of Fresh Foods, Local Flavors.

Seems like a pretty generic slogan similar to "Fresh for Everyone".
Maybe Albertsons under SpinCo will go back to the "It's your store" slogan.

It also almost sounds like the:

"Fresh Food. Famous Low Prices" that Fry's used in Arizona prior to the Fresh For Everyone campaign.

Interestingly in Arizona instead of using that they're using "Serving Arizona Since 1928" in their ads.

Better than the bubble signs that said "Perfecting the Art of Fresh."

arizonaguy wrote: ↑January 26th, 2023, 6:40 pm It also almost sounds like the:

"Fresh Food. Famous Low Prices" that Fry's used in Arizona prior to the Fresh For Everyone campaign.

Interestingly in Arizona instead of using that they're using "Serving Arizona Since 1928" in their ads.

The "Serving Y since 19xx" is weird since the date is usually when they can trace it back to their ownership, and is usually found over the doors. In Austin, it's 1972. 1972 is when Tom Thumb bought a local chain, Rylander (dating back to the 1960s), with Randalls renaming the stores in the early 1990s. However, Safeway has been in Austin since at least the 1960s, and a number of former Safeway stores operate today as Randalls, with only a brief closure when the AppleTree stores (spun off) were remodeled as Randalls stores (mostly cleaned up and remerchandised).

NorCal runs an ad that says "Proud to be local EST 1926" with the first 4 words in the same font as the red font above in Acme and Randalls slogans.

The NorCal ad being run in Reno has no slogan at all and just says Safeway. May as well run Reno on fumes because if this merger goes through hopefully that is the end of Safeway and its awful pricing in Reno either by way of divested stores or conversions to Smiths.

Safeway also has new plastic bag recycling bins and trash bins with Albertsons logos advertising some program called "recipe for change." I've never heard of this but it seems to be a direct copy of Kroger's "Zero Hunger Zero Waste" program based on the other language on the signs attached to these bins. Not sure why they are bothering with this when Kroger's program will obviously be the go forward program. Also given Albertsons just gave so much money away for that shareholder dividend I question if they can even afford to fund this program now. No wonder Safeway's everyday pricing continues to be so terrible. Looking forward to Kroger lowering prices on "day one" like Rodney of Kroger promised.

storewanderer wrote: ↑January 26th, 2023, 11:54 pm Looking forward to Kroger lowering prices on "day one" like Rodney of Kroger promised.

I wouldn't trust Rodney McMullen, who said "inflation is good for us". May be good for big bad Wall Street, but bad for the consumer.

retailfanmitchell019 wrote: ↑January 27th, 2023, 9:44 pm

storewanderer wrote: ↑January 26th, 2023, 11:54 pm Looking forward to Kroger lowering prices on "day one" like Rodney of Kroger promised.

I wouldn't trust Rodney McMullen, who said "inflation is good for us". May be good for big bad Wall Street, but bad for the consumer.

I would say honesty is the best policy. But I agree that statement is not the best thing to say without additional context.

Another reason in the past I've heard Kroger likes inflation is because it makes customers "trade down" to Kroger brand products which carry better margins and help with customer loyalty.

I seriously do not believe that was honesty.

I think it was arrogance!

veteran+ wrote: ↑January 29th, 2023, 8:27 am I seriously do not believe that was honesty.

I think it was arrogance!

At best it was out of touch. You don't want to say stuff like that when inflation hurts the "commoners" and you make an 8-figure salary.