Dive Brief:
- Stop & Shop has reduced regular prices on thousands of private label and national brand products in all of its stores in Rhode Island, the supermarket chain announced on Tuesday.
- The Ahold-Delhaize-owned banner is also adding kiosks to its Rhode Island stores where shoppers will be able to activate or print digital coupons and eliminating its 10-cent paper bag charge in the state.
- Stop & Shop’s actions come as the company looks to strengthen ties with shoppers in an effort to improve its financial performance.
Dive Insight:
Stop & Shop’s announcement comes close on the heels of a change in leadership at the Ahold Delhaize-owned banner, which appointed a new president late last month amid a broader push by the company to regain its footing across the five Northeastern states where it operates stores.
Under the strategy the retailer laid out this week, Stop & Shop is shaving everyday prices on an average of 3,500 products across the 25 stores it runs in Rhode Island. For example, the retailer said it is lowering the cost of a value pack of chicken breasts from $3.99 to $2.79 per pound, a reduction of 30%, and cutting what it charges for a Hass avocado by a quarter, to $1.25.
Stop & Shop said it is cutting prices on a range of national brand products. For instance, the grocer will now charge $6.29 for a pound of Land O’Lakes butter, down 15%, and is reducing the cost of a 6-ounce cup of Yoplait Yogurt from $1.00 to 89 cents.
The grocer will use yellow tags that include the previous and new prices to draw attention to the price reductions, according to the announcement.
“We have been listening to our customers — and we have heard you. That is why we’re making it possible to buy more groceries for your family, at a lower cost, at every one of our stores in Rhode Island,” Roger Wheeler, who became president of Stop & Shop on Sept. 30, said in a statement.
Stop & Shop is also taking steps to make it easier for shoppers to access electronic coupons. People will be able to use the kiosks it is adding to its Rhode Island stores to activate all digital savings connected with their account by scanning their loyalty card or entering their phone number. Stop & Shop — which is in the process of closing 32 stores — said it intends to install the kiosks chainwide by early 2025.
Stop & Shop also drew attention to its plans to remodel stores, noting that it expects to finish renovating a location in Richmond, Rhode Island, later in October.
