[MrGompers]

I'm not a fan of Stop & Shop but not because of its produce. The three Stop & Shops that I use the most are Cromwell, Kensington, and Rocky Hill. I can not say I've ever seen rotting produce in any of these three stores although that doesn't mean it's not possible. I've only seen poor quality produce at the "marked down for quick sale" area in Rocky Hill & Kensington locations.

My issues with stop and shop are high prices and poor service. Cromwell being the worst of the bunch so I no longer go in there. That is a huge store and also clean and well stocked so they have money for that, but not for employee's. Very typical to see one express lane and 4 self checkout lanes staffed by one person. Self checkout isn't any faster IMO.

What's more the Cromwell store is down the road from a Walmart that started selling groceries too. I've been in there a few times, but it leaves a lot to be desired. If you just want canned goods, paper goods, and pet food its decent. Produce is Ok, but usually understocked. With the increased competiton from Walmart you would think stop and shop in Cromwell would change their tune. Nope, but perhaps their sales data says otherwise ?

Also, stop and shop just had a scandal with labeling of beef products in their stores and the USDA told them to revert back to the old style. The cliff notes version;

Stop and shop labeled all beef as "USDA graded" but didn't include the grade. Most common grades are "select" and "choice" but with stop and shops label you wouldn't know if it was select or choice.
USDA Instructs Ahold Divs. to Revise Beef Labels | ProgressiveGrocer

If you are worried about hamburger I would suggest you buy the store ground hamburger. Most stores receive whole sides of beef and cut them up in store. Some of this will be used for hamburger. If you are unsure you can always ask the store butcher.

Stay away from frozen beef patties and the ground beef that comes in a tube. That is the beef that is coming from big packing plants from around the country. I would also suggest to stay away from any beef in which the store does not have a butcher on site. Their beef could also be coming from one of these plants, but you can always ask an employee to make sure.

Chicken usually isn't processed in grocery stores like stop and shop and are only labeled by the store.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by pulpfiction

You do realize Giant Eagle=Stop and Shop, correct? Same parent company.

You are wrong. You're thinking of Giant Food Stores. Stop & Shop is owned by Ahold USA. Giant Eagle is its own distinct company.

THIS is the Giant Eagle I will be shopping at:

https://www.google.com/search?q=gian...ed=0CAkQ_AUoBA

The one that YOU'RE thinking of is this one:

https://www.google.com/search?q=gian...nt+food+stores

[JayCT]

Well it looks like the parent of Stop & Shop is merging with the parent of Hannaford's to form the country's third largest supermarket chain. Not sure if this is good or bad. Jay

Stop & Shop, Hannaford parents merging - Connecticut Post

[Mike 75]

I'm gonna say neutral to negative. S&S has been on a downward tend for some time and a merger is certainly not going to help.

[chanTy04]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Well it looks like the parent of Stop & Shop is merging with the parent of Hannaford's to form the country's third largest supermarket chain. Not sure if this is good or bad. Jay

Stop & Shop, Hannaford parents merging - Connecticut Post

"Stop & Shop owner Royal Ahold is merging with Delhaize Group, which owns the Hannaford supermarket chain that is dominant in much of New England, as well as Food Lion nationally"

Food Lion. The only grocery store I've ever been to that has lower standards and worse produce than Stop & Shop. I thought I had finally escaped the pit that is The Lion of Food when I moved away from North Carolina :/

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Well it looks like the parent of Stop & Shop is merging with the parent of Hannaford's to form the country's third largest supermarket chain. Not sure if this is good or bad. Jay

Stop & Shop, Hannaford parents merging - Connecticut Post

"The combined company would be called Ahold Delhaize"

So Stop & Shop will be changed to Delhaize? Stop & Shop rolled off the tongue easier and the name made it obvious what it was.. I have to go to Delhaize nobody will know what it is unless they been there or heard of them.

Ahold, Delhaize plan to merge

[JayCT]

They would not change the name of the stores, just the name of the owner. Jay

[GeoffD]

My closest grocery store is a Stop & Shop. I use it like a corner convenience store. I rarely ever buy more than 3 or 4 items at a time there. The prices are 30% higher than my main grocery store. Produce and meat aren't particularly good.

[JGBigGreen]

Hannaford is a great chain. It is my second favorite grocery after Wegmans. Perhaps some of the good of Hannaford will rub off on Stop and Shop!

[GIANT_ENEMY_CRAB]

I only go to stop and shop for the shell gas points lol