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I moved here from Austin about a year ago and was amazed at a few things related to grocery stores:
1) # of big chains: Harris Teeter, Kroger's, Lowe's, Food Lion are all strong players here. In texas we had one big player (HEB) and two smaller (Albertson's and [SIZE=3]Tom Thumb)[/SIZE]
2) # of stores: Here in cary (high house area) there are so many stores and most of the time they are really, really empty considering the amount of perishables.
3) PRICES!: Yes, I know that food prices spiked due to oil, but many staples have not gone back down to their pre-oil prices (Milk for instance).
So, with the economy having its issues wondering what you think will happen to the grocery store business?
My guess? Grocery store closings and hopefully more price competition. For instance, Harris Teeter is almost as crazy expensive as Whole Foods and IMHO neither warrrant that amount of $.
The stores in my neck of the woods in N. Raleigh are always pretty busy. Food Lion, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Fresh Market ect....
I haven't seen anything in the news about any of these companies having financial problems. Since these are chains I wouldn't predict company closing and consolidation based on the poor performance of individual stores.
Quote:
Originally Posted by igolfchip
My guess? Grocery store closings and hopefully more price competition.
That sounds counterintuitive. Less stores means less competition. More grocery stores means more price competition. I can't see how closings and consolidation would = better price competition since that would mean less stores to compete against.
I am amazed at grocery prices. I've kept a book for the past year with all my food items that I buy and all the prices. Everything has gone up "a lot". Even the sales aren't so great anymore.
Ht does run some buy one get 2 free. That's usually a good deal. Otherwise they are very expensive.
Our "cheaper" store Save-A-Lot is never crowded which boggles my mind.
I don't know what will happen but think of it this way, with less people eating out more people will be buying groceries. We'll see which ones survive.
I actually find Lowes to be more expensive than Harris Teeter for many of the items I buy. I shop the sales heavily though. Of the local chains, Harris Teeter is definitely my favorite, and Food Lion is on the bottom (Kroger isn't much better). I absolutely love Fresh Market although it's not really a grocery store in that you couldn't do your weekly shopping there.
Prices are just crazy all around. I read an article that said that food manufacturers don't like to lower prices once consumers get used to paying the higher prices. Heck, it's not like airlines have taken away the fuel surcharges either!
Prices are just crazy all around. I read an article that said that food manufacturers don't like to lower prices once consumers get used to paying the higher prices. Heck, it's not like airlines have taken away the fuel surcharges either!
On top of raising prices the manufacturers also made the packaging smaller.
Charlotte-based Ruddick Corp. said in a filing last summer that it planned to spend about $245 million in 2009 to build 19 new stores and complete eight major remodeling projects. By the fall, those numbers had declined to $241 million for 17 new stores and four remodeling projects.
The company now says it plans to spend $212 million on such projects in 2009, opening 16 new stores and remodeling three.
I moved here from Austin about a year ago and was amazed at a few things related to grocery stores:
1) # of big chains: Harris Teeter, Kroger's, Lowe's, Food Lion are all strong players here. In texas we had one big player (HEB) and two smaller (Albertson's and [SIZE=3]Tom Thumb)[/SIZE]
2) # of stores: Here in cary (high house area) there are so many stores and most of the time they are really, really empty considering the amount of perishables.
3) PRICES!: Yes, I know that food prices spiked due to oil, but many staples have not gone back down to their pre-oil prices (Milk for instance).
So, with the economy having its issues wondering what you think will happen to the grocery store business?
My guess? Grocery store closings and hopefully more price competition. For instance, Harris Teeter is almost as crazy expensive as Whole Foods and IMHO neither warrrant that amount of $.
You can't stop eating like you can stop doing many other things in a bad economy. You can buy less healthy and cheap food which would hurt the higher end stores.
Despite the economy there are still plenty of people who either live healthy lifestyles or make a lot of money in this area. The Whole Foods/Trader Joe's/Fresh Market do plenty of research to make sure the area has the customer base they are looking for.
younglisa made a good point. You might think the prices are going back down but look at the amount you are getting now. Nearly every product is in smaller amounts.
Guess that means the one proposed for intersection of Forestville & Louisburg Rds won't happen anytime soon.
that one doesn't make any sense to me, given there's one a couple miles away at Heritage, as well as the Lowe's on Louisburg 2 blocks or so away. JMO.
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