Supermarket & Grocery Industry News

WASHINGTON -- Presenting its side of the story during the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's two-day hearing on nutrition information labeling, the Grocery Manufacturers/Food Products Association (GMA/FPA) will argue today that voluntary labeling has been effective, and should remain in the hands of manufacturers.

PITTSBURGH -- On the heels of last week's news that it was discontinuing the redemption of manufacturer double coupons in the Cleveland and Akron markets, Giant Eagle here said it is also cutting back on redeeming the value of double coupons in the Pittsburgh, New Castle, and Youngstown, Ohio markets in favor of promoting other incentives to attract consumers to its stores.

SACRAMENTO -- The California Grocers Association (CGA) said yesterday it opposes Assembly Bill 8 because it fails to address several of the critical components that will make health care reform successful.

PITTSBURGH -- On the heels of last week's news that it was discontinuing the redemption of manufacturer double coupons in the Cleveland and Akron markets, Giant Eagle here said it is also cutting back on redeeming the value of double coupons in the Pittsburgh, New Castle, and Youngstown, Ohio markets in favor of promoting other incentives to attract consumers to its stores.

SCARBOROUGH, Maine -- Consumers are increasingly choosing foods that offer more nutrition for the calories than those foods that don't in many departments of Hannaford Supermarkets here, which asserts that in some cases better-for-you items are being chosen three or four times more than their conventional counterparts. The grocer released this information yesterday as part of its findings since last year's launch of "Guiding Stars," a storewide system with the aim of helping Hannaford shoppers make more informed nutritional choices.

WASHINGTON -- The grocery industry has been seeing green lately, as retailers and manufacturers alike look for ways to help the environment and hopefully save money in the long run. To address the popular trend, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) said yesterday it will host its first-ever Environmental Sustainability Summit for the Food, Beverage and Consumer Products Industry, in Washington, D.C. Jan. 17 to Jan. 18, 2008.

PITTSBURGH -- In response to evolving consumer trends and an ongoing to effort to adjust the promotional mix in its retail locations, Giant Eagle, Inc., based here, yesterday discontinued the redemption of manufacturer double coupons in the Cleveland and Akron, Ohio markets.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. yesterday reported a higher-than-expected 3.1 percent increase in comparable-store sales at its U.S. units, including its namesake banners and Sam's Club, for the month of August. The retailer noted that its price leadership initiatives continued to drive traffic to its grocery business, with food categories remaining strong throughout the month.