Wegmans releases shop-and-scan app for quicker checkout
After a successful test with employees, Wegmans released a mobile app called SCAN that’s designed to help customers check out faster. The free app is available for use at one of the company’s Rochester, NY stores, where customers can scan groceries as they shop, put the products in their carts or bags, and quickly pay […]
Shoppers feel safer from COVID-19 at supermarkets than at other retail locations
Based on a survey of more than 500 American consumers conducted by First Insight in late April, more than half said they feel “safe” or “very safe” from COVID-19 when shopping in grocery stores. Consumers said they don’t feel as safe at any other retail locations, although drug store chains were a close second. Here […]
Trader Joe’s says it’s saving jobs by not offering online grocery service
Trader Joe’s recently revealed that it does not plan to offer grocery pickup and delivery, despite the heightened demand for online grocery services during the pandemic. According to an article on businessinsider.com, marketing executives for the company said the costs for building online grocery services were too high and that the offerings don’t always translate […]
March comps are up for Target, led by digital channels
Target reported last week that coronavirus-related purchases – led by groceries and daily staples – contributed to double-digit comp sales growth in March. March 2020 sales climbed more than 100% in Target’s digital channels, far outpacing the single-digit growth experienced in stores. The company reported that comp sales in March jumped about 40% in food […]
Whole Foods converts some stores to online fulfillment centers
Whole Foods announced that in order to help meet increased demand, it is temporarily closing a few stores and converting them to fulfillment centers for online delivery orders. Stores in New York City and Baltimore have already made the transition, and San Francisco’s SoMa location remains open until 1:00 pm daily, after which time it […]
Scores of customers make first-ever online grocery orders during pandemic
Results from a survey conducted by Acosta that were released earlier this week concluded that of all shoppers who made online grocery purchases between March 20-29, 28% were first-timers who shopped online because of COVID-19. There were many other survey findings related to the pandemic, but most were old news at this point. For instance, […]
March grocery sales rose, overall retail sales saw huge loss
The National Retail Federation said that despite the largest monthly drop ever in overall retail sales, grocery and beverage store sales went up by more than 25% during the month of March as compared to February. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, March retail and foodservice totaled about $483 billion, down 8.7% from February and […]
Coronavirus claims ShopRite operator Steve Ravitz
Steve Ravitz, 73, who started Ravitz Family Markets in 1968 and retired as president last year, died last week from the coronavirus, his family announced. Ravitz Family Markets is a Wakefern Cooperative member with five ShopRite stores in New Jersey. Upon his retirement, Ravitz passed the leadership to his sons Jason, Shawn and Brett. Ravitz […]
Albertsons and UFCW seek first responder status for grocery workers
Albertsons and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) are attempting to obtain a temporary designation of “extended first responders” or “emergency personnel” for supermarket associates. With such a designation, grocery workers would be prioritized for COVID-19 testing, and personal protection equipment like masks and gloves. The joint effort was made last Tuesday in an open […]
Kroger sales increase 30% in March
The Kroger Co., which operates nearly 3,000 supermarkets in the U.S. and is the largest traditional supermarket chain in the country, reported last week that it experienced a 30% surge in store sales for March as compared to the same month in 2019. Not surprisingly, the increase was caused by Americans staying home and stocking […]