Grocery inflation is out of control - stores seeing what they can get away with?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It feels like grocery stores are raising prices excessively, seemingly to see what they can get away with. I'm not talking for things like meat or organic pasture raised eggs, but for frozen vegetables, canned goods, and other typically less expensive things. Everything just keeps going up and seems out of control, and not stabilizing. When is grocery inflation going to slow down??

When Joe Biden leaves office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Certain categories are crazy high and sale prices are only 30 cents off.
$10 for 6-pack of Budweiser
No crackers for less than $4-5-6, cookies too
Berries
Lettuce
Hamburger patties
Store baked bread
Gourmet cheese
Deli roast beef
Chips/pretzels

I think the psychology is that people are addicted to easy/convenient/prepared and addicts aren’t price sensitive — look what the pay for packs of cigarettes.

I'm a berry and lettuce addict, you've got me.

[Anonymous]

My preferred cereal was $6.50 last I checked but another type from the same company was 4/$10 so I’ll just wait til its on sale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It generally isn’t the grocery stores, it is the individual brands. The grocery stores don’t want to sell a 12-pack of coke at $7.99 (or higher!) but the Coca-Cola corporation wants them to.

I rarely buy sodas but a couple of months ago I grabbed a 12 pack of cokes and it was $13! I put them back. They used to be closer to $6.

We were asked to "just bring sodas" to a recent family gathering. They specified Diet Coke, Regular Coke and "something without caffeine".

We brought fizzy water. Period. I'm not paying that much for a case of chemicals.

Wow! So, no kids got soda for a treat? Aunt Jen had rum and “fizzy water” because there was no coke? I hope you told them your plan before you showed up. I also hope your family served you macaroni and no cheese, raw spinach — because the lettuce was too expensive, and jello — because you have to break a lot of eggs and whip a lot of butter if you make a cake.
There’s nothing wrong with being frugal or with sticking to a budget, but PP, you were asked to bring what was probably the least expensive part of a family meal, you cheaped out, and you’re trying to be self-righteous about “chemicals” as though it justifies your …. ungenerous behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Supermarkets are among the most competitive industries with the lowest profit margins. Prices are going up because cost of food and labor is going up. It’s that simple. And it's called inflation.

Your options are to put up with it, find a cheaper market, which means going downscale to Walmarts or Aldi, or find a higher paying job.

Also, you could try eating less. Or eating less expensive items. Soak your own beans instead of canned, for example. Bake your own bread. Skip the alcohol aisle. Buy the fruit that's in season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It generally isn’t the grocery stores, it is the individual brands. The grocery stores don’t want to sell a 12-pack of coke at $7.99 (or higher!) but the Coca-Cola corporation wants them to.

I rarely buy sodas but a couple of months ago I grabbed a 12 pack of cokes and it was $13! I put them back. They used to be closer to $6.

We were asked to "just bring sodas" to a recent family gathering. They specified Diet Coke, Regular Coke and "something without caffeine".

We brought fizzy water. Period. I'm not paying that much for a case of chemicals.

Wow! So, no kids got soda for a treat? Aunt Jen had rum and “fizzy water” because there was no coke? I hope you told them your plan before you showed up. I also hope your family served you macaroni and no cheese, raw spinach — because the lettuce was too expensive, and jello — because you have to break a lot of eggs and whip a lot of butter if you make a cake.
There’s nothing wrong with being frugal or with sticking to a budget, but PP, you were asked to bring what was probably the least expensive part of a family meal, you cheaped out, and you’re trying to be self-righteous about “chemicals” as though it justifies your …. ungenerous behavior.

And it's not as if sodas have become expensive. A smart shopper can usually buy two 12-packs for $20 or less using the membership discounts in supermarkets. Even paying the typical $13 for a 12 pack is barely more than a dollar a can.

[Anonymous]

Giant in Potomac Yard had store brand wheat bread for $5.79 yesterday.

It was $1.79 at the beginning of the pandemic. Think about that.

[Anonymous]

Agree about grocery stores. I had to adjust my shopping to Costco and Aldi and avoid Safeway and HT. If I'm really in a pinch and have to stop at a regular grocery, it's gotta be on sale or I don't buy it.

Restaurant prices are completely unreasonable, so I still feel like I'm saving money if we eat at home more often.

[Anonymous]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2023/10/07/grocery-prices-rising-social-media-complaints/71087569007/

Says groceries are up nearly 17% in the last two years. Surprised it's not higher but I imagine some items have become much more expensive while others are still fairly cheap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Replace the soda with broccoli. Price of broccoli hasn’t increased. Less cavities and glucose spikes, thank me later

It has increased by $1/ lb.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It generally isn’t the grocery stores, it is the individual brands. The grocery stores don’t want to sell a 12-pack of coke at $7.99 (or higher!) but the Coca-Cola corporation wants them to.

I rarely buy sodas but a couple of months ago I grabbed a 12 pack of cokes and it was $13! I put them back. They used to be closer to $6.

We were asked to "just bring sodas" to a recent family gathering. They specified Diet Coke, Regular Coke and "something without caffeine".

We brought fizzy water. Period. I'm not paying that much for a case of chemicals.

Wow! So, no kids got soda for a treat? Aunt Jen had rum and “fizzy water” because there was no coke? I hope you told them your plan before you showed up. I also hope your family served you macaroni and no cheese, raw spinach — because the lettuce was too expensive, and jello — because you have to break a lot of eggs and whip a lot of butter if you make a cake.
There’s nothing wrong with being frugal or with sticking to a budget, but PP, you were asked to bring what was probably the least expensive part of a family meal, you cheaped out, and you’re trying to be self-righteous about “chemicals” as though it justifies your …. ungenerous behavior.

And it's not as if sodas have become expensive. A smart shopper can usually buy two 12-packs for $20 or less using the membership discounts in supermarkets. Even paying the typical $13 for a 12 pack is barely more than a dollar a can.

I used to buy the 12 packs for $4 each and I thought even $6 was too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It generally isn’t the grocery stores, it is the individual brands. The grocery stores don’t want to sell a 12-pack of coke at $7.99 (or higher!) but the Coca-Cola corporation wants them to.

Safeway has Ore-Ida tater tots for $8 a bag! Insanity. They aren't that much at other stores, even for the same brand. I ended up getting tots at TJs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Giant in Potomac Yard had store brand wheat bread for $5.79 yesterday.

It was $1.79 at the beginning of the pandemic. Think about that.

It’s not the pandemic. Ukraine is/was the world’s largest supplier of wheat.

[Anonymous]

People still drink soda??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People still drink soda??

Yes. Soda is everywhere.