Stop & Shop to Debut Limited-Edition Shark-Themed Bags for Cape Cod Shoppers
As the Discovery channel gears up for its annual Shark Week on July 20, East Coast grocer Stop & Shop is preparing to debut its limited-edition super-sized shark-themed bag at 17 locations across Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Mass.
Starting Monday July 7, the shopping bag is free with a purchase of $35 or more, while supplies last. Its illustrated design honors Cape Cod’s most recognizable ocean dwellers and features landmarks across Cape Cod and nearby Islands. The extra-large bag (21 ¾ inches by 14 ½ inches by 13 ¾ inches) is the ideal size to carry grocery hauls for barbecue or beach day essentials.
The shark-themed bags also feature a QR code that leads to resources from the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy (AWSC), which offers publicly available information on white sharks in the Northwest Atlantic. Stop & Shop is donating $10,000 to AWSC toward its work in shark research, education and public safety.
From June through October, great white sharks reside on Cape Cod’s shoreline, where there’s a large population of seals. AWSC’s Sharktivity app gives beachgoers the most up-to-date white shark public-safety resources.
“These bags are a fun way to celebrate the summer season on the Cape and Islands and help ensure our customers can easily access the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy shark education resources,” said Ben Feller, district director at Stop & Shop. “I’ve lived and worked on Cape Cod my whole life, and this is a very busy but very special place during this time of year. We hope all our customers across the region have a safe and happy summer.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Stop & Shop on this creative campaign that raises awareness about white shark research and public safety,” said Cynthia Wigren, CEO and co-founder of Chatham, Mass.-based AWSC. “Summer is the perfect time to engage beachgoers and families in learning about the important role white sharks play in the ocean ecosystem, and how to make informed decisions when enjoying the water. We’re grateful for Stop & Shop’s support, which helps us expand access to shark education and promote coexistence along the Cape and Islands."
Hyping up exclusive product launches like bags and totes can help boost grocery retailers’ in-store foot traffic. For example, Trader Joe’s has seen success from its own mini tote launch. According to recent findings from location intelligence firm Placer.ai, when Trader Joe’s released its new pastel-handled mini totes on April 8, in-store visits skyrocketed 21.2% compared with a year-to-date Tuesday average. Placer also found that foot traffic outpaced the Sept. 18, 2024, mini tote release by 13.7%.
In addition to its exclusive shark-themed bags, Stop & Shop is also releasing limited-time summer flavors for its private label brands. The grocery retailer is introducing Taste of Inspirations Thai Coconut Curry Hummus and a new Shirley Temple-Inspired Soda, both available now at all 360 Stop & Shop locations across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, while supplies last.
“We are always looking for ways to deliver unique, flavor-forward products at a strong value with our private label brands, and the Thai Coconut Curry Hummus and Shirley Temple Inspired Soda are perfect examples of that,” said EVP, Chief Merchant Lee Nicholson. “They are bold, different and delicious, and bring something really unique to our shelves for our shoppers.”
Stop & Shop, an Ahold Delhaize USA company, employs more than 50,000 associates. Parent company Ahold Delhaize is one of the world’s largest food retail groups. The Zaandam, Netherlands-based company’s family of local brands serves 63 million customers each week, both in stores and online, in the United States, Europe and Indonesia. Together, these brands employ more than 402,000 associates in 7,716 grocery and specialty stores. The Ahold Delhaize USA division is No. 11 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2025 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century and among the 10 Most Sustainable Grocers of 2025.
