Giant/Stop & Shop Give Cleaning Supplies 'VIP' Treatment

LANDOVER, Md. and QUINCY, Mass. -- Giant Food, LLC and the Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. rolled out lower prices on bleach, laundry detergent, fabric softeners and other cleaning supplies Friday, in the latest phase of the Ahold-owned banners' Value Improvement Program (VIP).

"We are receiving enthusiastic comments from shoppers who notice and appreciate our lower prices on fruits and vegetables and paper products," said Giant-Landover/Stop & Shop consumer advisor Andrea Astrachan in a statement. "And many fellow moms are grateful for our lower prices on diapers and other items in our baby aisle because it saves them both time and money. Now, to provide customers with even greater value, we've lowered everyday prices on many national brands in our household cleaner aisle as well."

Not everything in a given category will receive lower price, but most will, Stop & Shop spokesman Robert Keane explained to Progressive Grocer, adding that the company has changed the way it does business in some respects, to enable it to reduce prices across categories, although he declined to give specifics. Prices are cut on an item-by-item basis, he said, and not according to a blanket formula.

As well as reduced prices on many cleaning supplies, Stop & Shop and Giant have responded to customer requests for "green" cleaning products by introducing in their stores last December "Healthy Home," a product line offering a full range of such items. The line is now carried in 340 of the banners' locations.

The banners are promoting the latest phase of the cost-cutting program via TV, radio, and Internet ads, in addition to their weekly circulars and in-store signs. Additionally, customers can visit the consumer advisor's link on their Web sites, www.stopandshop.com and www.giantfood.com, for spring-cleaning advice.

Launched in late 2006, VIP draws on the banners' broad assortment of products and categories, along with improved freshness in produce and lower everyday prices. The program will continue to roll out to other categories in the next few months, the banners said.

Stop & Shop employs over 58,000 associates and operates 385 stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York and New Jersey.

Giant Food operates 189 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, and employs over 25,000 associates. Included within the 189 stores are 165 full-service pharmacies.
X
This ad will auto-close in 10 seconds