We have been watching, with some interest, as Raley’s and Safeway do battle in the local region. I don’t know what percentage each has of the market as there are a few other contenders for the top spot; Albertson’s, Holiday, Food 4 Less, Winco and then there are some much smaller. But we generally shop at Raley’s, Safeway and Holiday.
Even though it involves some extra driving; with some careful planning we can make a trip to Chico into a value-added shopping experience. We have shopped at Safeway on our way into town and then stopped at Raley’s on our way out. We even carry an ice chest in the trunk for just these occasions.
But today we noticed a big difference in the prices and it looks like Safeway is out of the loop for now. $1.99 for lettuce vs. 99¢ and $1.00 for yoghurt vs. 50¢. The list goes on and on and Safeway prices were higher every time. We have been watching the prices slowly climbing at Safeway but now it makes no sense to stop there unless they have some great sale item we need. But what irritates me about the pricing is the fact that for so many people, there isn’t time in a crowded day to do the kind of shopping we enjoy, where we are free to get back in the car and drive to a bargain. Most people are stuck with a 10 or 15 minute window for shopping and they have to race through the store, getting the necessities. Value gets second billing. Somehow that doesn’t seem fair.
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