BJ's Experimenting With Supermarket-Size Packaging
NATICK, Mass. - BJ's Wholesale Club here is rolling out smaller "life sizes," supermarket-size packages of perishable items, including meat, seafood, produce, and dairy items, according to a report in yesterday's Waterbury Republican-American newspaper.
The goal of the packages is to convince noncommercial customers to do more of their weekly food shopping at the membership club, instead of just stocking up on bulk items, like paper towels and cases of soft drinks. For example, BJ's will now sell six-packs of croissants, instead of just 12 packs, and 1.5-pound packages of salmon filets, instead of a family-size package.
"We're just trying to give our customers additional options, a great variety of choices," Kimberly Borst, a BJ's spokeswoman, told the newspaper. "All our traditional sizes and packages will still be there. This is just something we're offering in addition to what we've always offered."
"We have listened to feedback from our members who have indicated they would like us to carry smaller sizes on some of our most perishable products," Michael Wedge, BJ's president and c.e.o., said in a statement. "These smaller items will offer members the convenience of doing more of their weekly shopping at BJ's."
BJ's began test-marketing its smaller packages at six stores in Ohio in March, and 20 additional stores in Florida, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia began carrying the smaller sizes in early July. In early September all of the chain's 106 stores began stocking the sizes.
The goal of the packages is to convince noncommercial customers to do more of their weekly food shopping at the membership club, instead of just stocking up on bulk items, like paper towels and cases of soft drinks. For example, BJ's will now sell six-packs of croissants, instead of just 12 packs, and 1.5-pound packages of salmon filets, instead of a family-size package.
"We're just trying to give our customers additional options, a great variety of choices," Kimberly Borst, a BJ's spokeswoman, told the newspaper. "All our traditional sizes and packages will still be there. This is just something we're offering in addition to what we've always offered."
"We have listened to feedback from our members who have indicated they would like us to carry smaller sizes on some of our most perishable products," Michael Wedge, BJ's president and c.e.o., said in a statement. "These smaller items will offer members the convenience of doing more of their weekly shopping at BJ's."
BJ's began test-marketing its smaller packages at six stores in Ohio in March, and 20 additional stores in Florida, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia began carrying the smaller sizes in early July. In early September all of the chain's 106 stores began stocking the sizes.