Disguising Price Increases(No Politics Please)

[worth1]

If your produce is so expensive nobody is buying it so you have to throw away boxes of it wouldn't it be better to sell it for a cheaper price?
I've seen whole boxes of poblano chilis end up in the garage because they're too high per pound to sell.

[pepperhead212]

My guess is, that instead of taking a loss, and giving a discount to the customers, they are feeding it to the hogs, though they might not like some of the hotter peppers.

[worth1]

My guess is, that instead of taking a loss, and giving a discount to the customers, they are feeding it to the hogs, though they might not like some of the hotter peppers.

They're going to the vultures out back.
Even the squash gets tossed.
I could actually do something with it.
No problem cutting bad parts off for cooked food.

[GoDawgs]

One of our groceries puts all the "sell quick" veggies in a shopping buggy after they restock their shelved. I usually look to see what's in there in the off season because sometimes they'll maybe have a bag of cucumbers for cheap and I might want to make reefer pickles from them. You never know what's gonna be in the buggy that you can use!

[worth1]

Stickin it to the man.
HEB had nice limes 4 for a dollar.
Using the scales it took 12 nice limes to make 2 pounds.

They had bagged raggedy limes 2 pounds for 3 dollars and some odd cents.
One old guy was looking at me like I was nuts for something.
But I got better quality limes for less money.

[JRinPA]

$3.34 for 3 lb of yellow cooking onions was month back. Product of Mexico.

The price now is $4.48. Product of USA, kinda, grown in New Mexico. $1.50 a pound in a 3 lb bag.

Vidalia onions are $1.59 per lb on the next shelf.

Normal price, for me, I still think of it as normal, is .99 per lb for vidalia, and $1.69-1.99 for 3lb of yellow cooking onions.

Bananas jumped from .54 to .78 per lb.

Seems like they are not bothering to try to disguise increases anymore.

[JRinPA]

I apologize, I have been warned not to talk about politics...violation of rule #2. So I will rephrase:

A CNN reporter stated

"Since (January 6th, 2021), a basket of groceries that cost $100 then, now cost more than $120...." (this was referring to the US prices)

Now THAT is disguising price increases. But, $170-$190 is indeed more than $120, so CNN wasn't lying!! Just disguising how bad it is.

A 3 lb bag of onions that cost, I think I used to figure 55/lb, so I was actually high saying 1.69 to 1.99. So $1.65 for 3 lb. Is now $4.48. That increase is far more than 20%, and is actually 175%.
Canola Oil was being bought for I think $ 1.38 for 48oz. Now it is $10 for 128oz. That is a 169% increase. More if you buy convenient 48oz size.
Butter was sale price of 2.50/lb, now it is $4/lb. That is about typical, an increase of 60%.
Hershey's syrup
Peanut Butter
All kinds of vegetables, are all up well, well in excess of the 20+% reported by CNN. So yes, I consider that disguising price increases, stating 20% to the world, when it is much more than that.

[worth1]

I hear ya @JRinPA .
I hear ya loud and clear.

[bower]

You can't get a decent onion at this time of year here. The crop's not in, all they've got are long keepers in bad shape, OR stuff that's imported from so far south it is marked up to the skies. Price has remained about stable at $3.99 a bag for cooking onions, only the quality has changed. Last fall they were going on special for 2.99 though, so maybe it's just seasonal issues.
So don't be surprised to see onion price go down, @JRinPA , when crop is really in.

OTOH the price of fruit here has not really gone down since the crazy hike post pandemic. Bag of apples $10 or $12.
I paid $15 for around a kilo of grapes - not doing that frequently for sure! and lemons and limes are mostly closer to $10 a bag than the $7 they used to be.

So it seems like the inflation that hit everywhere post pandemic is not going to 'deflate' again ever, for most things. We just are stuck paying more with currency that is worth less.
And TBH the things they "had to do" to stop inflation from spinning even higher, like increasing interest rates, to "slow the economy" at the same time we're trying to grow the economy, all of it makes my head spin.
The monetary system in this world, the stock market etc, it's all absolutely nuts to me.
Why can't a dollar be worth a dollar. Why is the valuation of things (including money) so capricious???
The crazy answer is that some people make millions and billions because of these unstable valuations, and the rest of us are stuck paying more for onions.

[karstopography]

There seems to be a bit of a price war going on here between Kroger and HEB lately and I say bring it on. I’m loyal to my wallet and that’s about it as far as it goes concerning groceries.

Kroger had choice whole brisket in the vacuum pack for $1.87/# today. But, here’s the deal, it was only for the app coupon. I get to the self-checkout and my Kroger card got it down to 3.49/# from $4.99/# so I said to the attendant what the heck it was advertised at the Brisket cooler for $1.87/# . That’s when I found out about the web app coupon. Don’t think I didn’t download the app right there and then. But, HEB, which doesn’t have a card, but does have an app, is selling Select Brisket for $3.60/#, app or no app.

So no app electronic coupon and no Kroger card, $4.99/#, Kroger card only, no Electronic coupon, $3.49/#, Kroger Card and Electronic coupon, $1.87/#. HEB, $3.60/# for a lesser grade. I guess people that don’t want to mess with cards and apps will pay more and subsidize the ones like me that are willing to jump through a hoop or two for a better deal.

Kroger had been kicking HEB’s tail lately on some of the things we buy. Kim Crawford Marlborough NZ SB, my wife’s favorite wine, runs $14/bottle at HEB, $9.90/bottle at Kroger.

[worth1]

I keep saying HEB needs competition here in Bastrop and the rest of central Texas.
Walmart is NOT competition.

[karstopography]

I keep saying HEB needs competition here in Bastrop and the rest of central Texas.
Walmart is NOT competition.

With as much growth Bastrop is seeing there’s no way another good grocery store won’t move in eventually.

[worth1]

I keep saying HEB needs competition here in Bastrop and the rest of central Texas.
Walmart is NOT competition.

With as much growth Bastrop is seeing there’s no way another good grocery store won’t move in eventually.

I got there around 10:AM and it was packed.
If I go there after work a lot of stuff is sold out.
It's basically serving Bastrop Elgin and Smithville probably La Grange too.
A lot of people coming from East Austin as well out past the airport.
They should take a survey and ask people where they are coming from.
There's a darn Whataburger going in at Wolf Lane in Garfield too.

[GoDawgs]

I see the fast food places are now back in the $5 meal deal mode. Wendy's started it with their Biggie Bag and now Burger King has jumped on the band wagon. I wonder how long that will last. I haven't eaten at either of those in ages.

Dairy Queen used to have a $5 meal with choice of chicken strips or burger, fries, drink and a small dish of their ice cream. It's now $6.99.

About once a month we get fast food flyers in the mail with coupons for this and that. Usually they're from Subway, Arby's, Hardee's, Popeye's Chicken and Huddle House. The only time I'll ever go to Subway or Popeye's is with their coupon. Sub sandwich prices have gotten ridiculous. I've never been to Arby's and it's been literally years since I was in a Huddle House. I guess I just don't want to have to get in the car and drive 7-15 miles to go get lunch. If I do use a coupon it's because I'm already out and about on an errand and haven't planned anything for lunch at home.

[JRinPA]

Finally saw a price drop in onions, now that fresh onions are in. $2.99 for 3 lb at redners. I remember at this time it should be like 1.29 for the 3 lb bag...
I was in there looking at the prices on the stuff I have in my garden. But I didn't find anything that looked as good as I what I grow...

[Ken4230]

Got a letter from SAMS a couple of weeks ago. It was a letter stating that they wanted to improve customer service and benefits. Sounded good until I pulled out the insert. The insert said that starting August 14 , Plus members would no longer qualify for free shipping unless the order was over 50 dollars. Other wise 8 dollars per order. This is a great way to improve customer service and benefits.


I have tried to not abuse the free shipping by ordering a bunch at a time. Was telling Brenda a while back that I didn't think they could keep the free shipping up much longer. If they been more straightforward and honest, it would have been a little more palatable. After all they are related to Wally World so you can expect shenanigan's.

[worth1]

The curb side pickup price per item is more than if you go into HEB and shop normally.
So the more you buy the more it costs to have a store shopper running around the store shop for you.
It really don't see anything wrong with this.
But I do see the idea of having a job running around getting stuff in a grocery store for someone all day a sort of living hell.

Most jobs like this seem like living hell to me anyway.

[Sue_CT]

Around here those jobs are generally done by teenagers or a or college age kids. Same price for items here to pick up in the parking lot but most tack on a fee at the end, usually about 3 or 4.00. But then they have various offers to decrease that as well. One store gives points you can redeem to pay for all or part of that fee, another store intermittently offers a waiver of the fee for several days or a week at a time. It takes longer to pick a larger order but the store is also selling more.

[bower]

The only supermarket I know of that does delivery in St. John's metro is Coleman's and they have a $50 minimum. They don't deliver out here, nobody does, but I know about it because of Mom staying at my brother's place during winter storms. She didn't want to order that much, so we bring it with, or my bro picks her up a few things to bring over if needed. Other stores do curbside pickup but I've never used that service either. I'm the family shopper.
I can understand them having a minimum order for delivery though, because gas is so expensive. Not to mention the labor involved.
Granted that groceries are overpriced, they still have to run a business.

I definitely see overpriced things in the vegetable department that will end up trashed because nobody buys it.
My store does have a half price cart or shelf, with discounted produce, but frankly there's not likely anything worth buying there.

[Sue_CT]

Around here delivery is about 10.00 for the stores that offer it but you are expected to tip and it’s like being in a restaurant, they ask for a percentage of your grocery bill, so that would be too expensive for me. The parking lot pick ups they are not allowed to accept tips, I asked. Walmart has a thing where you can get unlimited deliveries for 12.95 a month but there is a 35.00 minimum, I think, or you can pay 100.00 for a year of deliveries. If you were home bound and had no one to do it for you, that wouldn’t be too bad. Lots of people though the cost just isn’t an issue for them. Not in that bracket myself, lol.